Downsized engines and dual-clutch transmissions may be the way the industry is heading, but Aston Martin is more deeply ... on sticking with V12 engines and manual transmissions for the ...

Today, I bought my ultimate, money-no-object dream car, a 2009 Aston Martin DBS, with a very rare manual transmission, and it just so happens to be the exact spec that James Bond drives.

And sold out: 110 Aston Martin Valours are ... the Vantage but down from the DBS to a not-exactly-paltry 705bhp and 555lb ft, so as not to overburden the manual transmission, which runs through ...