Aston Martin is leaning on its Formula 1 know-how as it puts the upcoming Valhalla hypercar through the final stages of development.
The mega-anticipated, road-legal Valhalla was first teased way back in 2019, so it has been a long time in the making.
It’s Aston Martin’s first-ever plug-in hybrid, just like the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, and mates a traditional 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 engine with a 150kW battery and three e-motors to produce power of 1,012 PS.
That’s enough grunt to propel the all-wheel drive Valhalla from 0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds while it has a top speed of 217 mph. Active aerodynamics that produce 600 kg of downforce will add to the fun when you get the Valhalla on the track.
Now Aston Martin has revealed that the Valhalla will enter production in 2024, with the first prototypes hitting the road later this year.
And as development shifts up a gear, the British firm is using F1 expertise - including Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso - to fine-tune its mid-engine creation. Carbon fibre expertise has also been borrowed from the Aston Martin F1 team.
Claudio Santoni, Aston Martin Performance Technologies Engineering Director, said: “It is a great advantage for a car manufacturer to have access to the unique skills and knowledge of a Formula 1 team. F1 engineers are constantly pushing the boundaries in the pursuit of performance and have developed rapid problem-solving tools. With this knowledge ‘in house’ we can seamlessly bring F1 expertise to road car development.”
Just like in F1, Aston Martin has relied on a simulator to hone the driving dynamics of the Valhalla. In fact, just 10% of the set-up will be completed in the real world, on the road and track.
Alonso and Stroll have had input on the Valhalla’s cockpit, as they attempt to optimise the driving position and bucket seats.
The active aero elements also take their cue from F1. The front wing can lie flat - in an F1-style DRS (Drag Reduction System) position - so you can blat it on the straights, or it can be angled up to get downforce and grip.
It’s a similar story with the rear wing. Turn on ‘track mode’ and the spoiler is raised high into the airflow to maximise its effectiveness. The car then actively manages the angle of attack of the wing to continually balance between maximum downforce and DRS, so that you get peak performance.
Sophisticated Torque Vectoring will also ensure you get optimum traction when you need it most.
Carlo Della Casa, Aston Martin Product Development Director said: “Our target for Valhalla is to produce a supercar that will set best-in-class standards for performance, dynamics and driving pleasure. Valhalla will use active technologies to reduce the gap between the ‘Gentlemen driver’ and the professional one on track. Having open access to the knowledge within the AMF1 team has been a huge advantage for us as we develop this incredible car.”
Just 999 vehicles will be built, and the Valhalla will have a price tag of around £580,000.
If you’d like to get behind the wheel of your own supercar, have a conversation with the experts in Select Car Leasing’s dedicated Specialist Vehicles division.
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