Aston Martin Valhalla: A 937-HP Hybrid Supercar Beast

July 15, 2021 – The Valkyrie may be the more powerful and expensive of the two, but this new Aston Martin Valhalla could quite possibly be the cream of the crop. The Aston Martin Valhalla, similar to the Valkyrie, is built around the expertise the company has gained through Formula 1 experience, allowing new owners access to technology born from the race track. This truly driver-focused mid-engined hybrid supercar now sets best in class standards for performance, dynamics and driving pleasure. From Valkyrie to Valhalla, Aston Martin’s Project Horizon is not disappointing, so let’s dive into what makes this car so spectacular. 

Between a 937-horsepower hybrid engine, pinpoint handling, and remarkable levels of downforce, the Aston Martin Valhalla is a new breed of supercar. But what makes up that 937-horsepower monster of an engine you may ask? Well, it takes one beast of a V8 to push 740-hp with two turbos bolted on, along with two separate electric motors to hit such numbers.  A top speed of 217 miles per hour and the ability to hit 62 mph in under 2.5 seconds give a great example of the Valhalla’s capabilities. However, power isn’t all the Valhalla leans on, and if it learned anything from the Valkyrie, it’s aerodynamics. 

The Aston Martin Valhalla has a few tricks up its sleeve, mostly pertaining to active aerodynamics for unparalleled downforce. At first look, the Valhalla seems rather mild when it comes to aerodynamics, with no massive wing or dorsal fin like its much more extreme counterpart, the Valkyrie AMR Pro. The team at Aston Martin learned that drastic changes to aerodynamics under the car makes for less to do up top. At 150 mph, the Valhalla is capable of generating an impressive 1322 lbs of downforce, allowing for mighty high-speed cornering abilities and unshakable stability. 

It also does help that the Valhalla is built around a new carbon fiber tub for maximum stiffness, all while maintaining a weight of around 3,417 pounds. With everything Aston Martin has learned from Formula 1 and its lightning fast Valkyrie, it’s no wonder the Valhalla seems to be the quintessential hybrid supercar. 

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro Redefines the Hypercar

June 29, 2021 – If you’ve ever wondered what a hypercar is defined as, then look no further for a prime example than the new Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro. Shortly after delivering their newest 1,000 hp hybrid road car, the Valkyrie, Aston Martin has stepped it up with a track only, racing regulation free hypercar that is here to eliminate all competition. As Aston Martin puts it, the Valkyrie AMR Pro is “a machine which takes a car designed to win the Le Mans 24 Hours as its starting point, then pushes further to explore extremes of performance unconstrained by racing regulations or registration for road use.” 

Similar to the road legal Valkyrie, the AMR Pro is chock full of mind-blowing capabilities. Neatly nestled inside the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro is a Cosworth-built 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12, capable of revving up to 11,000 rpm and putting 1000bhp down to the pavement. You may be thinking that the original road legal Valkyrie posted these kinds of numbers before even adding its hybrid system, a good thought indeed.

Well, the AMR Pro is more than just a powerhouse. Aston Martin set out to achieve the fastest lap times, but this pursuit also involved a plethora of weight saving changes. Firstly, the battery electric hybrid system was removed, along with a host of other weight saving measures. Continuing the technology partnership with Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT), Aston Martin has been able to incorporate into the AMR Pro ultra-light carbon fiber bodywork, carbon suspension wishbones and Perspex windscreen and side windows.

With everything combined, the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro exceeds Le Mans Hypercar regulations for aerodynamic efficiency, with Aston Martin claiming track performance close to that of an F1 car.

More details of the Valkyrie AMR Pro including specification and performance are to be revealed later this year. As of now, a target lap time around the 8.5 mile 24H Le Mans is set at 3 minutes and 20 seconds, a number that could put the Valkyrie AMR Pro in first place in an LMP1 race. 40 AMR Pro versions of the Valkyrie will be produced, and with the original Valkyrie priced at $3 million, it seems the sky may be the limit for the price of an AMR Pro!

Aston Martin Valkyrie: Track Performance on the Street

October 21, 2020 – The Aston Martin Valkyrie might be one of the greatest hypercars ever made, that is, if you don’t mind a slightly claustrophobic cockpit with no rear window. But racecar, right?

The heart of the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s powertrain is a Cosworth naturally aspirated 6.5 liter V12 engine, producing 1,000 hp. But the power doesn’t stop there. Because it is a hybrid powertrain, the Valkyrie gets a further performance boost delivered by the battery hybrid system, turning that 1,000 hp into 1,160 hp.

The Valkyrie also features a KERS-style boost system similar to those fitted to Formula 1 cars, allowing the car to recuperate a ton of energy lost while braking, which is harnessed and supplied back to the batteries.

Inside the Aston Martin Valkyrie, you’ll find seating for two, with its cockpit taking the shape of a teardrop. For an even closer feel to a Formula 1 car, the seats are placed in a reclined, feet-up position. In front of the driver is also a Formula 1 inspired steering wheel where you can find all of the car’s switchgear. Having all of the switches on the wheel reduces driver distraction.

For those that know that they will be putting in some extra time at the track, Aston Martin also released a Valkyrie AMR Pro edition, featuring the same powertrain as the standard Valkyrie, but with a tweaked boost output. The AMR Pro also has a light curb weight thanks to the deletion of features such as the Infotainment screen. Aston Martin also claims that the AMR Pro is capable of generating more than its own weight in downforce.

The Valkyrie starts at $3 million, but unfortunately, all models have already been sold.

Handcrafting a Classic

The Aston Martin DB4 G.T. Continuation and the Heritage Center

I remember my dad driving us kids through the small town of Newport Pagnell on our way to Santa Pod, Britain’s only dragstrip in the 60s. As we entered the town we’d often see Aston Martin workers pushing car bodies on dollies across the street from one part of the factory to the other. For a car-crazy kid, it was an exciting if odd vision but one that stuck in my memory.

Since it was established in 1913, Aston Martin, like many bespoke car companies, has gone through some ups and downs but is currently enjoying a resurgence with a strong, worldwide market for classic and supercars. While the production of Aston Martin vehicles has moved to Gaydon, a stone’s throw from Shakespeare’s home of Stratford-upon-Avon, the old Newport Pagnell factory has been tastefully converted to the Heritage Center (AMHC) where all Astons are serviced. It’s also where they restore classic Aston’s and build the DB4 G.T. Continuation Car.

Work started on the DB4 in 1956 and it was shown to the public at the London Motor Show in 1958. With a 4-seater body designed by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, using their ‘Superleggera’ construction method in which aluminum panels are fixed to a tubular frame built onto a substantial platform chassis, and a new DOHC 3.7L, six-cylinder, all alloy engine designed by Tadek Marek, the DB4 was an instant hit. It had a top speed of 140 mph and was the first production car capable of 0-100-0 mph in under 30 seconds. That was fast until 1959 when they announced the G.T. version that upped the ante to 152 mph. The G.T. accelerated from 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds. Of course, the next model, the DB5, became iconic as James Bond’s car of choice.

They only built 75 cars originally and of those only eight were lightweights. Those originals can now command prices north of $3 million and as a consequence of the growing interest in all things nostalgic and fast a business plan was developed to build just 25 continuation lightweight cars. Not unsurprisingly, all 25 were sold upon announcement and they are currently being built entirely at the AMHC where we got to view the process.

In order to enable the build, a number of DB4s were purchased, disassembled, and measured for replication.  The team at Aston also studied some 450 original drawings and fabricated exacting bucks in order to get it right. However, some key areas were upgraded to take advantage of technological developments. For example, the roll cage, the brakes, the fuel tank, the seats and even some of the engine components were improved. The new old engine has a capacity increased from 3.7 to 4.2 liters and now produces around 340 bhp compared to the original’s 302 and the gearbox features tougher, straight-cut gears. Also, the suspension has firm rose joints rather than squidgy rubber bushes.

Aston also utilized many of the original suppliers such as Borrani who faithfully reproduce the 16-inch wire wheels. Even the leather comes from Connolly or Bridge of Weir who have been supplying hides to Aston for decades.

Each continuation car is hand built and assembled and takes an estimated 4,500 hours to complete and therefore the estimated price tag of almost $2 million seems reasonable. However, what was most refreshing about seeing the DB4 G.T. get built was seeing it get built by hand rather than by robots. There’s something emotionally satisfying about watching a craftsman take a flat sheet of aluminum and beat it into a sensuous, three-dimensional form.