We’ve known for a while that Aston Martin plans to make the Valkyrie as fast as a prototype racer. But the car’s reported technical specifications truly put into perspective how extreme it will be — even by hypercar standards.
Sources at Aston Martin recently told Road & Track that the Valkyrie’s hybrid system will have a combined power output of 1,130 horsepower. It’s also expected to weigh roughly 60 pounds less than a Mazda MX-5, with a curb weight of 1,030 kilograms (2,270 pounds).
The P1 GTR LM, for perspective, was one of the most hardcore versions of the McLaren’s hybrid hypercar, and it produces 986 horsepower and weighs 1,547 kilograms (3,411 pounds). Considering the P1 GTR LM’s record-setting run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed looked terrifyingly quick, we can only imagine how onboard footage from the Valkyrie will look.
Aston Martin supposedly is going to great lengths to achieve that curb weight.
In addition to its doors having fixed windows, they also won’t have mirrors. To avoid having electric motors to adjust them, Aston is fitting the Valkyrie with cameras and LCD monitors inside the cockpit. What’s more, the metal Aston badge on the hood reportedly is less than one micron thick, roughly half the size of a bacteria cell.
Much like Mercedes-AMG is doing with its forthcoming hypercar, Aston Martin’s hybrid powertrain will use a Formula One-derived kinetic energy recovery system, though the Valkyrie will be much more reliant on its internal combustion engine. While Mercedes plans to fit its car with a V-6 so its power unit is as similar to that of an F1 car as possible, Aston reportedly will use a V-12, which on its own produces 1,000 horsepower.
It appears as though the Valkyrie will almost certainly be a game changer, though we’re concerned it might be a tough act to follow for Aston Martin. The British manufacturer is aiming to follow it up with a Ferrari 488 rival, and we just hope a mid-engine Aston can still generate this much excitement if it isn’t designed by Red Bull Racing technical director Adrian Newey.
Thumbnail photo via Aston Martin
