No One Does it Like Aston Martin
Supercars are great and all, but for those wanting a grand tourer with a healthy dose of athleticism, Aston Martin is the way to go. The best part is, the British automaker isn’t shy about sticking a manual transmission in its ultra-luxury GTs. Sure, it’s not the default choice these days, but stick-shift modern Astons are a great nod to the classic GTs the company made back in the day.
One of the last mainstream Aston Martin models to come with a manual was the Vantage, and it has the rare option of being paired with a V12 engine.
The Backstory
Aston Martins aren’t cheap, and these don’t necessarily hold value for the most part. But this particular car is different, though, as this is a 2017 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S 7-Speed. The manual is the key here and the very reason why Classic.com currently lists values at around $235,500. For reference, these cars carried a base price of about $200,000 nine years ago.
The current owner bought this car in 2020 and has now put it up for sale on Bring a Trailer. While we don’t know the complete service history, we do know that it hasn’t even done 4,000 miles in all its years of existence, of which about 1,200 were added by the seller. We also know the battery was replaced in 2022, and that’s pretty much the extent of the listed maintenance work so far. Still, it’s a very rare car in the U.S., hence why it deserves attention and is worthy of being kept alive for much, much longer.
The Offer
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Make | Aston Martin |
| Model | V12 Vantage S 7-Speed |
| Year | 2017 |
| Mileage | 3,775 miles shown |
| Engine | 5.9-liter AM28 V12 |
| Power | 565 horsepower |
| Transmission | 7-speed manual |
| Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
| Exterior color | Black with carbon fiber and red accents |
| Interior color | Black leather with red contrast stitching |
| Wheels | 19-inch 5-split-spoke alloy wheels |
| Suspension | Four-wheel double wishbone with adaptive damping |
| Brakes | Four-wheel carbon-ceramic brakes |
| Steering | Hydraulic rack and pinion steering |
| Current bid | $177,000 |
Interested in this car? View the listing here.
Why it’s Special
This car wasn’t supposed to exist. When the V12 Vantage S first came out in 2013, its 12-cylinder engine was exclusively paired with a seven-speed automated manual transmission. The roadster version that followed was also an automated clutch affair. Which is why it was a bit of a surprise when the seven-speed manual model was introduced in 2016 – a dog-leg manual at that.
How rare is it? Just 351 were ever built for the world, 260 of which were coupes, and the rest were roadsters. Only 100 of these ever made it to America, so what you’re looking at here is an absolute unicorn. Cars are rarely investments, but this one might just be a smart buy, regardless of how many miles you put on it. Its rarity will ensure its value for years to come.
About the author
Anton Andres
News Editor