From a Geneva Motor Show concept in 2019 to the finished production version due for delivery in 2023, the mid-engined supercar Aston Martin Valhalla has won two cylinders while reducing the expected price by more than half a million dollars.
Local prices have not yet been announced and Aston Martin has declined to comment on whether Australians put their names on the list for the brand’s first mass-produced mid-engined car.
With a 552 kW 4.0-liter V8 turbo as the centerpiece and two electric motors that increase the total output to 699 kW, Aston Martin is aiming for a lap time of 6:30 seconds on the Nürburgring for the Valhalla, breaking the record of the Production vehicle of currently 6: 45.90 seconds is held by the electric hypercar Nio EP9.
Though unveiled in Geneva in 2019 by the AM-RB 003 concept, which rivals hypercar like the McLaren P1 with an 800kW twin-turbo V6 hybrid drive and a controversial price on the order of £ 1 million ($ A1. 86m), the Valhalla has evolved with the super sports car market.
For example, the Ferrari SF90 plug-in hybrid arrived in Australia in late 2019 with a peak power of 736 kW and a starting price that undercuts the Aston Martin’s original proposal by more than a million dollars.
Overseas reports suggest the Valhalla will cost at least a third less than expected, although at £ 600,000 (A $ 1.12 million) it remains much more exotic than the Ferrari.
Aston Martin engineers are tasked with bringing the Valhalla under 1550 kg – the SF90 weighs 1570 kg – and will be inspired by the British brand’s ultra-exclusive V12 hybrid Valkyrie flagship.
Allegedly in 2.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h, but with a predicted carbon dioxide emission of less than 200 grams per kilometer – roughly like a Toyota HiLux 4×4 – the specified 15 km range is of the Valhalla only with electric drive of its 330 km. similarly contrasted / h top speed.
In addition to what GoAuto understands as a modified version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with flat crank from AMG’s GT Black Series, the Valhalla has a bespoke eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that saves weight by playing the role of reversing takes over to the electric motors.
In addition, Aston Martin claims that the new transmission, which will be introduced in future models, will be able to drive the V8 and electric motor in two different gears at the same time, allowing a throughput of up to 1000 Nm.
The electric mode only drives the front wheels and reaches a speed of up to 130 km / h, while other driving modes vary the electric drive over both axles, with up to 100 percent being distributed to the rear. The combined power of the two electric motors is 150 kW.
Exposed tailpipes in front of the rear spoiler channel the crackling of the V8, the sound is regulated by valves in the lightweight exhaust system.
Firepower aside, Aston Martin says the intended result will be an “intimate, unadulterated connection between the driver and the car.”
Under the skin is a carbon fiber tub and a racing car-like bumper suspension with flying height adjustment thanks to variable springs and adaptive dampers that are mounted inward to reduce the unsprung mass – made by the suspension specialist Multimatic, who supplied the chassis components for the Aston Martin One-77 flagship from a decade ago.
Carbon-ceramic matrix brakes lurk behind 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rear wheels with Michelin tires, which are operated by brake-by-wire.
Not only does the Valhalla clearly share design DNA with the Valkyrie, but it also inherits many of its aerodynamic capabilities, as well as input from boffins on the Aston Martin F1 team, resulting in a claimed 600kg downforce at 150mph.
Another F1 input will come from a dynamic team that has access to factory drivers Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll and Nico Hülkenburg, who, according to Aston Martin, are “a car that has such a clear connection to Aston Martin’s Grand Prix machines “give additional authenticity”.
The precise control of the underbody airflow “through dramatic venturi tunnels” has given the designers at Aston Martin more freedom in the body of the Valhalla than the aerodynamic performance suggests.
With carbon fiber as the main material of choice, the Valhalla has a less dramatic inboard cockpit than its uncompromising Valkyrie sibling, but it also doesn’t follow the mid-engine model from Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren.
There may be shades of the Jaguar XJ220 and Porsche 918 Spyder to the shape of the Valhalla, which the brand describes as “a memorable mid-engine shape that’s original, yet unmistakably Aston Martin.”
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer, said the design intent of Valhalla’s production compared to the 2019 concept still shares the intended connection with the Valkyrie, “but execution has evolved significantly to accommodate production of this brand new car to reach”.
“While Valkyrie’s legacy is clear, Valhalla is now a more mature, fully resolved design piece,” he said.
Inside, the seating surfaces are attached to the chassis and there is increased leg room for an F1-style seating position. The pedals and the steering wheel adapt to the driver.
V-shaped doors open almost vertically and offer a large opening with cutouts in the roof for easy access to the cockpit.
Two-zone automatic air conditioning, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and adaptive cruise control ensure daily comfort with autonomous emergency braking, front collision warning, blind spot monitoring, reversing camera with all-round monitor option and adaptive full-LED matrix headlights that meet safety requirements.
“Preserving the essence of an exceptional concept vehicle is crucial when it comes to getting it into production,” said Tobias Moers, Aston Martin CEO.
“With Valhalla, not only have we remained true to our commitment to build a world-leading supercar, we have exceeded our original goals.
“The result is a pure driving machine – one that is state-of-the-art in terms of performance and technology and yet lets the driver feel the emotion and thrill of complete connection and control.”
