Aston Martin is open to bringing back manual transmissions, but CEO Adrian Hallmark says the obstacle is not the gearbox itself.aston martin thinks about a manual return ferrari styleIn comments to Road & Track, Hallmark explained that the real problem lies in the electronics and safety systems that would have to work alongside a stick shift, and he floated the possibility of a "faux" manual in the vein of Ferrari's 12Cilindri Manuale rather than a fully mechanical setup.The comments come as manual supercars dominated conversation at this year's Monterey Car Week. New models including the GMSV S1, McLaren McL 6GT, Spyker C8 Preliator XXV, and Kode89 all featured a DIY gearbox.AdvertisementAdvertisementAston Martin went the other way with its new Valen, which the company bills as the "world's most powerful front-engined production car." The Valen packs a twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 producing 838 hp (625 kW / 850 PS) and 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque, good for a 0-60 mph run of three seconds flat and an electronically limited 214 mph (344 km/h) top speed. Those figures come paired with an eight-speed automatic.aston martin thinks about a manual return ferrari styleHallmark acknowledged Aston's long history of offering manuals but noted those cars were built on the company's older architecture and electronics. "The problem we have is not getting a manual gearbox, it's getting an electronic and modified system to be able to work with a manual box," Hallmark told Road & Track.The friction centers on modern driver assistance features. Hallmark pointed specifically to adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation systems as technologies that do not integrate cleanly with a three-pedal layout. Stripping those features out or reworking them, he suggested, would cost more than developing a new manual gearbox on its own.Other automakers have shown the combination is workable. Every version of the Toyota GR86 offers adaptive cruise control, as does the Honda Civic Type R, both available with manuals. That leaves the question as one of demand and return on investment rather than pure engineering feasibility, at least for higher-volume applications.aston martin thinks about a manual return ferrari styleHallmark's reference to Ferrari points to where Aston Martin's thinking may land. The 12Cilindri Manuale uses an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic paired with a six-speed manual shifter and a clutch pedal, delivering the tactile experience without a conventional mechanical linkage. Hallmark suggested Aston could pursue something similar, though he stopped short of any commitment.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe brand is not without recent manual credentials. The track-focused Valiant carries a six-speed manual, showing appetite exists within the lineup for driver-engagement models even as the broader range moves toward automatics.For now, Aston Martin's position is one of openness without a timeline or product commitment. Hallmark's framing reframes the manual debate away from the transmission hardware and toward the electronic ecosystem surrounding it, and his nod to Ferrari's approach suggests any future stick shift from Gaydon could arrive as a hybrid solution rather than a purely mechanical one.This article was written using AI.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletterhere.