Aston Martin Valkyrie teased on road tests – 150 units from RM10.1 million each, deliveries later this year

Aston Martin has released a set of images showing the Valkyrie undergoing road trials, following what the carmaker describes as a successful track outing at the Silverstone circuit in the United Kingdom. The British firm’s flagship hypercar is now slated for its first deliveries in the second half of 2020.

Producing 1,000 hp at 10,500 rpm and 740 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm on its own, the naturally aspirated 6.5 litre V12 engine developed by Cosworth also gets hybrid electric assistance from a motor co-developed by Rimac and Integral Powertrain, which grows its total outputs to 1,160 hp and 900 Nm of torque.

The 1,000 hp output target was set before the first prototype was built, Cosworth managing director Bruce Wood told Autocar, and the naturally-aspirated engine will serve as a load-bearing component in the vehicle, bolted directly to the carbon-fibre tub while the gearbox and rear suspension mounts to the engine. The camshafts’ driver gears are positioned at the back in order to isolate some high-RPM noise from the cabin.

In contrast to more recent technology where modern engines employ direct injection, the Valkyrie’s V12 engine uses port fuel injection, which enables it to meet emissions regulations without requiring the fitment of heavy gasoline particulate filters (GPFs), Autocar said. The fully assembled engine weighs just 204 kg, and is slated for a lifespan of 100,000 km with just routine maintenance, Wood said.

Why natural aspiration, and not turbocharging for the Valkyrie, Autocar asks? “We had that debate, but our view – and (Red Bull Racing chief technical officer) Adrian Newey’s view – was that if your sole objective is the driving experience, you can’t beat a naturally aspirated V12. There are some great turbo applications these days, but there is an inevitability a fraction of lag, a diminution of noise,” Wood responded.

The cooling required by a turbo engine would be another challenge, as the frontal area of the Valkyrie leaves little room for intercoolers, Wood added. For the chassis, Alcon and Surface Transforms supply the calipers and carbon-ceramic discs, while tyres are Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 items on 20-inch and 21-inch wheels, according to Autocar.

Co-developed with Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the road-going version of the Valkyrie will cost between £2 million and £3 million (RM10.1 million to RM15.2 million), and the track-only AMR Pro will follow later in 2020.

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