A track-focused monster that you can also use on the road, the Aston Martin Valkyrie is a naturally-aspirated, V12-powered work of art.
Published on Mar 7, 2023 at 5:08PM (UTC+4)
Last updated on Mar 14, 2023 at 9:52AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain
This is the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the brand’s first-ever hypercar.
It looks bonkers and it’s faster than lightning, but it’s street legal.
Aston Martin went to extreme lengths to make the car as lightweight and aerodynamically efficient as possible.
The badge, for example, is still made of metal but it is only 40 microns thick.
In plain English, this means it’s about as thick as a human hair.
Aston’s head of design Miles Nurnberger said it would’ve been easier to just paint it on the hood but they ultimately decided against it.
“We say we have real metal badges, and we didn’t want to give it up,” Miles said. “[So] we decided to innovate instead.”
Miles is also particularly proud of the rear brake lights, the smallest in the world at just 6mm across.
Several components, like the headlamps for example, were 3D printed to keep weight to a minimum.
The side cameras – the ones that replace the wing mirrors – are 3D printed, too.
The doors are super light, and they open upwards, sort of like gull-wing doors, and they’re thin.
As Alex points out in the video, they almost look like flames, like little flickers, coming from a burning candle.
At the front, you’ve got a frunk that’s big enough to fit… not much, to be honest.
A banana and a loaf of bread, perhaps.
Or you can just use it for Aston Martin’s tool kit, which is actually included.
Speaking of kits, there’s a first-aid kit hidden behind the number plate.
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After driving the Aston Valkyrie, Alex also had the chance to experience the AMR Pro.
This is the track-only version of the Valkyrie and, more to the point, it is a completely different animal.
The Valkyrie isn’t exactly a family car but the AMR Pro takes it one step further because it is even more extreme.
In fact, only the engine is the same, everything else was redesigned for the track, including the massive wing at the back.
The wheels are smaller to allow the AMR Pro to run on bespoke Michelin racing tires.
The air con and the infotainment screen were removed and replaced with racing counterparts.
There’s also a new fin at the rear, and a new rear diffuser.
Crucially, you also get a little dial on the F1-style steering wheel, allowing to adjust the power output.
You can start at 500 horsepower to get acquainted with the car, and then you can work your way up, all the way to 1,155 hp.
Production for the Valkyrie is limited to 150 units, priced at $3 million.
As for the AMR Pro, only 25 units will be made, with a $3.5 million price tag.
