This Is a Nearly Production-Ready Aston Valkyrie
Last month, we got a brief glimpse and a a lot of neat details on Aston Martin's crazy Valkyrie hypercar. Aston has just released a number of images and details on a nearly-production-spec Valkyrie, and wow. This will be an LMP1 race car for the road.
We reported, based on sources familiar with the Valkyrie's development, that the car would produce 1130 hp from its naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 and will weigh around 2,270 lbs. Aston Martin hasn't released any drivetrain specs today, but the company has confirmed a lot of the coolest details of the car.
The cockpit has space for two passengers, but they'll be sitting with their feet up, just like in a modern F1 or LMP1 car. The interior looks incredibly tight, but Aston says that it will fit two "98th-percentile" adults. Aston Martin's chief designer, Marek Reichman stands at six-foot four, so this was an important goal.
The Valkyrie's seats - which will be 3D-scanned to follow the contour of the owner's body - will be bolted directly to the carbon-fiber tub, with four-point harnesses fitted as standard. Six-point harnesses are an option for those seeking to do more track driving.
We heard last month that the Valkyrie would have a removable steering wheel with central display and controls, but we thought it might be for the track-only version. This steering wheel will actually make production, and it's designed to keep the driver's hands in one place.
The Valkyrie will also eschew traditional mirrors in favor of two rear-facing cameras connected to a display at the base of each A-Pillar. We reported previously that this system was chosen to save weight, but Aston says there's also aerodynamic and aesthetic benefits. The Valkyrie also uses a roof-mounted air intake, so there won't be a traditional rear window either.
Aston Martin also released some details on the Valkyrie's crazy bodywork and the attention to detail paid to its design. The most astounding thing is the smallest - the badge. Similar to what we previously reported, the etched aluminum front badge is just 70 microns thick - making it only 30 percent as thick as a single human hair. It's also 99.4 percent lighter than Aston Martin's traditional wing badge.
The headlights, which incorporate high- and low-beams into an aluminum frame are also 30 to 40 percent lighter than those on any other production Aston. Around back, Aston says the Valkyrie has the world's smallest central high mounted stoplight, which is only 5.5mm wide and 9.5mm high.
You've probably also noticed the wild aerodynamics by this point two. It's dominated by two huge Venturi tunnels that run from the front to the back of the car - they're so large, we've heard, that humans can actually fit under them. The teardrop-shaped cockpit is sandwiched between the two Venturis.
These Venturis draw air to feed the Valkyrie's massive rear diffuser, and are used so that there doesn't need to be any other unsightly aerodynamic devices on the body surfaces. Previously, Aston Martin confirmed that this car makes a race-car-like 4000-lbs of downforce. It's form and function meeting perfectly.
The Valkyrie will also have big openings between the front wheel arches and the cockpit, also in the name of downforce.
Based on the pictures, we can see that the Valkyrie gets top-mounted doors just like an LMP1 race car. Also, the car pictured is wearing carbon-fiber wheel covers. Aston hasn't detailed these yet, but we've heard that they're an optional aerodynamic aid.
While we now know a lot more about the Valkyrie, there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. Really, we just want to know how the hell this thing will be street legal, but Aston has told us it will be roadworthy everywhere it's sold. That means the US too.
Truly, this car is something else. We've never seen anything like it.
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