Aston Martin Valkyrie
The Valkyrie on display at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show
Overview
ManufacturerAston Martin Lagonda plc
Also calledNebula (original codename)
AM-RB 001 (final codename)
Production2016 (AM-RB 001 Concept)
2017 (Valkyrie Prototype VP-1)
2019 (Valkyrie Prototype VP-2)
November 2021 – present (production model)[1]
AssemblyUnited Kingdom: Gaydon, Warwickshire
DesignerAdrian Newey
Miles Nurnberger[2][3]
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupé
2-door targa top (Spider)[4]
LayoutRear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
DoorsGull-wing (coupé)
Butterfly (Spider)
Powertrain
Engine6.5 litre Aston Martin-Cosworth RA naturally-aspirated V12[5]
Electric motor160 hp (119 kW; 162 PS) Integral Powertrain Ltd. permanent magnet synchronous electric motor
Power output1,160 hp (865 kW; 1,176 PS)
Transmission7-speed Ricardo transmission single-clutch automated manual[6]
Hybrid drivetrainFull hybrid
Battery1.3 kWh Rimac KERS hybrid battery system[7]
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,770 mm (109.1 in)
Length4,500 mm (177.2 in)
Width1,965 mm (77.4 in)
Height1,070 mm (42.1 in)[8]
Kerb weight1,355 kg (2,987 lb)[9]

The Aston Martin Valkyrie (also known by its code-names as AM-RB 001 and Nebula) is a limited production hybrid sports car collaboratively built by British automobile manufacturers Aston Martin, Red Bull Racing Advanced Technologies and several others.

The sports car is a product of collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing to develop a track-oriented car entirely usable and enjoyable as a road car, conceived by Adrian Newey, Dr Andy Palmer, Christian Horner and Simon Spoule.[10] Adrian Newey,[11] Red Bull Racing's Chief Technical Officer and the world's most successful F1 designer aided in the design of the car.[12]

Nomenclature

The original codename was Nebula, an acronym for Newey, Red Bull and Aston Martin. The name AM-RB 001 was chosen as the final codename, and was decided since Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing had collaborated all throughout the project. AM stands for Aston Martin, and RB stands for Red Bull. 001 may be a possible reference to it being the first production car the two have collaborated on.

In March 2017, Aston Martin revealed that the car would be named Valkyrie, after the Norse mythological figures who guide the souls of Nordic soldiers fallen on the battlefield, leading them in one of two paths, choosing one half going to Odin's Valhalla, and one half going to Goddess Freyja's afterlife Fólkvangr.[13] According to Red Bull, the name was chosen to continue the tradition of "V" nomenclature of Aston Martin's automobiles and to distinguish the vehicle as a high-performance car (the "V" was used as the distinguishing factor).[14] The Aston Martin Valhalla, which is known as "Son of Valkyrie", likewise has its origin in Norse Mythology, with the Gods Hall (home to King of the Gods and Supreme God Odin Allfather) bearing the name Valhalla.

Design

Exterior

Rear view

A show car was initially unveiled to the public in order to give the public an idea of its design. The design was nearly finished at the time in a near-production-ready form.[15]

The exterior of the car is extremely aerodynamic for a sports car, with an extensively open underfloor, that works on the principle of the Venturi effect and is capable of producing 18,000 N (1,800 kgf) of downforce at high speed. Gaps on top of the car (for example, above the front axle and the roof intake) and a large front splitter aid in generating downforce.[16][17][18] The wheels are also designed to manage the airflow and be as light as possible at the same time.

Interior

Interior

The interior design was leaked online on 20 June 2017 and gave a preview of the car's design. The interior has no gauge cluster, but rather a collection of screens. By the left and right corners are the screens for the camera side mirrors. One screen sits at the top of the center console, which may have a collection of live vehicle information, and regular vehicle controls, but this is not confirmed. A screen is used on the race-inspired steering wheel and acts as the driver gauge cluster. Dials and switches sit beside the wheel screen to allow for easier changes without driving interruption. The seats, formed from hollow carbon fibre straight into interior perimeter, are bucket variants, and have two seat belts for each car seat.[19]

Because of the extremely small interior and doors (which are practically roof-only hatches), each seat is designed specifically for the owner's body shape through 3D scanning. A removable steering wheel provides slightly more space for entry and exit.[20][21][22]

Specifications

Valkyrie

In February 2017, Aston Martin revealed most of the vehicle's specifications.[23] The final specifications were revealed later in the year.

Several manufacturers (other than Aston Martin and Red Bull) have taken part in the Valkyrie's construction, those being Cosworth, Ricardo, Rimac Automobili, Multimatic, Alcon, Integral Powertrain Ltd, Bosch, Surface Transforms, Wipac, HPL Prototypes and Michelin.

The car contains a 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine tailored by Cosworth, which produces around 746 kW (1,000 hp) at 10,500 rpm, with a redline of 11,100 rpm. This will make it the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine ever to be fitted to a production road car. With a KERS-style boost system akin to those fitted to F1 cars, the Aston Martin Valkyrie's hybrid system has been developed by two main technical partners; Integral Powertrain Ltd, who supplied the bespoke electric motor, and Rimac for the lightweight hybrid battery system.[24][25]

As a result, the full hybrid system contributes an additional 120 kW (160 bhp) of power and a further 280 N⋅m of available torque with the certified max power output of Aston Martin Valkyrie standing at 865 kW (1,160 hp) @ 10,500rpm. Equally, with the full hybrid system, peak torque will stand at 900 N⋅m (664 lbf⋅ft) @ 6,000 rpm

At the same time the power output figures were released, the weight was announced to be 1,030 kg (2,271 lb), surpassing the intended 1:1 power-to-weight ratio with 840 kW (1,126 hp) per ton.[26] The car can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in a time of 2.6 seconds.[27]

The exhausts exit at the top of the car, near the engine, similar to those of Formula One cars and the Porsche 918 Spyder.[28]

Bosch supplies the Valkyrie's ECU unit, traction control system, and ESP. The braking system is provided by Alcon and Surface Transforms. The front and rear lights are manufactured by Wipac. The car has all-carbon fibre bodywork[29] and is installed with a carbon fibre Monocell from manufacturer Multimatic.[30] Michelin supplies the Valkyrie with the company's high-performance Sport Cup 2 tyres, having sizes of 265/35-ZR20 at the front and 325/30-ZR21 at the rear.[31] The wheels are constructed out of lightweight magnesium alloy (20 in (510 mm) front, 21 in (530 mm) rear) with race-spec centre-lock wheel nuts to reduce mass. In 2020, after Red Bull Racing's Red Bull Racing RB16 had its first shakedown in Silverstone Circuit, drivers Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon drove the car around the track.

Valkyrie AMR Pro

Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro Concept
Production version of the Valkyrie AMR Pro at the Laguna Seca race track in 2022

The track-only variant of the Valkyrie called the Valkyrie AMR Pro was introduced at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Only 25 units will be produced, all of which have already been sold. The AMR Pro uses the same 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine as used in the Valkyrie road car without the KERS system. The engine will also be modified, which means the AMR Pro will have up to 1,100 (est. 1,160-1,300) horsepower; more than its road-legal counterpart.

The AMR Pro uses smaller 18-inch wheels at the front and rear.[32] This is to allow the Michelin racing tyres (based on LMP1 race cars) to fit the car, with F1-inspired carbon-carbon brakes to aid braking performance. The air-conditioning system and infotainment screens have been removed, and have been replaced with racing counterparts.[33] The car will be able to generate 3.3 g lateral force during cornering and 3.5 g during braking. Its top speed is intended to be higher than the road car, at 402 km/h (250 mph).[34] The car's exhaust will have very minimal parts to silence the engine.[32]

In 2021, the production-intent AMR Pro was unveiled, having a significantly more aggressive design, with an LMP1-style rear aerodynamic fin, a large dual-element rear wing, and a large rear diffuser.[34] In terms of this production-intent design, it looks more similar to the regular (but elongated) Valkyrie, than it did with the original concept.

Valkyrie Spider

In August 2021, Aston Martin announced a Spider variant for the 2023 model year. Production commenced in the second half of 2022 with a stated intent of 85 examples being produced.[35] The Valkyrie Spider has a removable carbon fibre roof and trades the coupé model's gullwing doors for a pair of front-hinged dihedral butterfly doors.

Le Mans Hypercar

In October 2023, Aston Martin announced the development of the Valkyrie as a Le Mans Hypercar, with the goal of participating in both FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA Sportscar Championship, in the Hypercar and GTP classes, respectively, from 2025 onwards. The car is scheduled to debut at the 2025 24 Hours of Daytona.[36]

Production

The road car's production will be limited to 150 units at a unit price of US$3.5 million. The AMR Pro production will be limited to 25 units at a unit price of US$4 million. Both versions have sold out.

Ten cars, fewer than planned, were delivered in the last quarter of 2021, causing the company to miss its profit target. The company said that this only affected timing, all production had been sold but not yet delivered.[37] The Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider was two times oversubscribed.[37]

Resale policy

Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer announced a policy in a Twitter post on 4 July 2017, stating that if the owner were to "flip" the car (buy and sell quickly to make a profit), the owner would not be provided the opportunity to buy any further special edition models from Aston Martin. This policy is also used for Ford's new GT[38] and Mercedes-AMG's ONE sports cars.[39]

Media

Car show appearances

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Aston Martin Valkyrie Production Starts, First Hypercar Completed".
  2. ↑ Torr, Feann (25 August 2019). "BEST OF BRITISH: Aston Martin secrets revealed". Motoring.
  3. ↑ Devos, Alain (3 March 2019). "Aston Martin Valkyrie-designer Miles Nurnberger over de strafste sportwagen ooit". Auto Wereld.be. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  4. ↑ Duff, Mike (12 August 2021). "Aston Martin's 1139-HP Valkyrie Spider Loses Roof, Gains Thrills". Car and Driver.
  5. ↑ "Aston Martin Valkyrie".
  6. ↑ "Driveline & transmissions". automotive.ricardo.com.
  7. ↑ "How Mate Rimac is supercharging electric cars". Financial Times. 21 November 2018.
  8. ↑ "Maintenance and Technical Data 6.33". Aston Martin Valkyrie Owner's Guide (PDF). 2021.
  9. ↑ "2021 Aston Martin Valkyrie Specs & Performance". encycarpedia.com. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing unveil radical AM-RB 001 hypercar". Aston Martin. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Christian Horner: 'Adrian Newey fully motivated again'". Sportsmole. 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Aston Martin gives you wings". KCW Today. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  13. ↑ Rix, Jack (6 March 2017). "Aston Martin names its hypercar 'Valkyrie'". Top Gear. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Schran, Oliver (14 March 2017). "Codename AM-RB 001 becomes Aston Martin Valkyrie". Red Bull. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  15. ↑ Sheehan, Sam (14 June 2017). "Aston Martin Valkyrie revealed in most production-ready form yet". Autocar. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  16. ↑ Anderson, Brad (8 March 2017). "New Aston Martin Valkyrie Scares Off All Other Hypercars In Geneva". Carscoops. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  17. ↑ Perkins, Chris (14 June 2017). "Hey! The Aston Martin Valkyrie Has Headlights Now". Road & Track. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  18. ↑ Westbrook, Justin T. (11 July 2017). "Aston Martin Has Updated The Valkyrie To Be Even More Unbelievable". Jalopnik. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  19. ↑ "Aston Martin Valkyrie's high-tech cabin leaked". The Week (UK ed.). 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  20. ↑ King, Alanis (24 May 2017). "The Aston Martin Valkyrie Won't Let You Get Fat". Jalopnik. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  21. ↑ Edelstein, Stephen (25 May 2017). "Aston Martin will 3D-scan drivers' bodies to make custom seats for the Valkyrie". Digital Trends. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  22. ↑ Saiidi, Uptin (23 May 2017). "Aston Martins upcoming car will 3-D scan your body for the driver seat". CNBC. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  23. ↑ Padeanu, Adrian (15 February 2017). "Aston Martin AM-RB 001 will rock a Cosworth 6.5-litre V12 engine". Motor1.com. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  24. ↑ "ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE - THE ULTIMATE HYBRID POWERTRAIN FOR THE ULTIMATE HYPERCAR". media.astonmartin.com.
  25. ↑ "Aston Martin Valkyrie - The Ultimate Hybrid Powertrain for the Ultimate Hypercar". 1 March 2019.
  26. ↑ Wren, Wesley (23 June 2017). "Report: Aston Martin's Valkyrie will have 1,130 hp, weigh just over a ton". Autoweek. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  27. ↑ "2018 Aston Martin Valkyrie". TopSpeed.com. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  28. ↑ "Aston Martin Valkyrie - Engine View". Motor1.com. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  29. ↑ "Otherworldly Performance". Aston Martin. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  30. ↑ "Aston Martin Valkyrie: specs, price and full details". Evo. 9 February 2018. Archived from the original on 4 June 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  31. ↑ "Michelin chosen as official tyre supplier for Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar". Michelin Media. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  32. 1 2 Pattni, Vijay (15 November 2017). "Behold: the 250mph Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro". Top Gear. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  33. ↑ Krok, Andrew (16 November 2017). "Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro is the most insane Aston yet". RoadShow by CNET. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  34. 1 2 "Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro: Redefining the limits of performance". Aston Martin. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  35. ↑ Misoyannis, Alex (12 August 2021). "2023 Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider revealed: F1-inspired hypercar loses its roof". Drive. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  36. ↑ https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/aston-martin-to-return-to-le-mans-24-hours-in-2025-with-valkyrie-lmh/10528577/
  37. 1 2 Sweney, Mark (7 January 2022). "Aston Martin will miss profit target by £15m after Valkyrie delivery failings". The Guardian.
  38. ↑ Lee, Kristen (6 July 2017). "Flipping Your Aston Martin Valkyrie Will Make Aston Very Mad". Jalopnik. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  39. ↑ Padeanu, Adrian (2 August 2018). "Mercedes-AMG Won't Allow Project One Owners To Flip Their Cars". Motor1.com. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  40. ↑ Vijay Pattni (22 March 2022). "Listen to the V12 Aston Martin Valkyrie scream at the Bahrain GP". Top Gear. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  41. ↑ I drove Aston Martin's road-legal F1 car!, retrieved 10 June 2023
  42. ↑ Chan, Ken (28 June 2023). "Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.35 adds 3 exciting new cars, GT Café Menus, and more – out today". PlayStation.Blog. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  43. ↑ Aston Martin (11 July 2016). "Aston Martin and Red Bull launch the AM-RB 001 Hypercar". YouTube. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  44. ↑ Glaysher, Mungo (28 November 2016). "Aston Martin reveals the AM-RB 001 to the Middle East". Esquire (Middle East ed.). Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  45. ↑ Perez, Jeff (1 February 2017). "Behold the beautiful Aston Martin AM-RB 001 hypercar in 41 photos". Motor1.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  46. ↑ Florea, Ciprian (20 February 2017). "Aston Martin AM-RB 001 Makes Global Debut In Toronto... Sort Of". TopSpeed.com. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  47. ↑ "Aston Martin to debut AM-RB hypercar and Vanquish S at Geneva motor show". The National. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
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