Aston Martin Victor review

It’s an Eighties concept car, arrived 40 years late. Because back then, imagining a car 40 years hence, they would still have given it a manual gearlever and some sort of funky steering wheel. So it’s an odd car this, retro-futuristic in equal measure depending on your era viewpoint.

Either way, the cabin is beautifully made. This is perhaps the most impressive aspect of the whole car. It’s a one-off cockpit, bearing little in common with either the Vulcan or One-77 so the investment in not only making it properly, but fundamentally redesigning it, is huge.

Yes the floor is a bit plain and uncarpeted, but up top everything is leather or carbon – apart from a couple of slivers of tasteful wood and the rooflining, which is cashmere. Because of course it is. Eighties luxury with just enough hint of Del Boy. We’d prefer analogue gauges to the digi instrument binnacle, but will forgive the centre screen, because it’s from the Vulcan. So’s the steering wheel, although the controllers have been repurposed with buttons for the horn and fuel release, rotary controllers for the wipers. And look: exposed gear linkage.

The fixed back seat is somehow spot on and although the Victor feels big around you, the front end miles away, the operation of the controls gives you complete confidence to place it accurately on the road.

Aston hasn’t even forgotten about boot space. Open the rear deck and you’re not only going to get a better view of the exposed in-board pushrod suspension, but reveal a surprisingly useful and immaculately trimmed load bay.