RE: Aston Valhalla completes testing ahead of launch

RE: Aston Valhalla completes testing ahead of launch

Monday 31st March

Aston Valhalla completes testing ahead of launch

How good does the Valhalla look on the public road? You be the judge...


While it’s always exciting for a new car to be revealed online, there’s nothing to match the thrill of something never before seen on the public road. That time is getting nearer and nearer for the Aston Martin Valhalla. And for a few drivers near Silverstone, they’ve already had the privilege, as the plug-in Aston hypercar completes final validation testing. 

You’re not going to miss it, that’s for certain. If (pleasingly) more compact on an A-road than expected, the Valhalla packs a punch in terms of visual drama: those exhausts shooting for the skies and the rear diffuser really do look incredible alongside a conventional numberplate. Ditto the gaping front grille. 

The road car seen here is a Satin Scintilla Silver Valhalla with a Lime Green livery, on UK tarmac for final damper calibration. And if you’re thinking it looks spectacular enough, but wondering what a brighter colour might do for it, you’re in luck, as there are track cars as well.

At the IDIADA facility in Spain, a pair of prototypes - Podium Green with Lime Green livery and Verdant Jade with a Valkyrie Gold livery - are being pushed to their limit by Darren Turner. The job on the wet and dry handling circuits there is to finalise steering and active aero, plus thermal braking system performance. No small task, given the performance potential of 1,079hp plus the regen abilities of the hybrid system.

However, the end is in sight, with production of 999 Valhallas set to begin in the second quarter of this year. Which we’re almost in now, so hopefully a matter of weeks away. Simon Newton, Aston’s Director of Vehicle Performance and Attributes said, “For the engineering and dynamics teams, the unprecedented dynamic bandwidth that distinguishes Valhalla from its rivals has presented many new opportunities during development… To harness and refine the power to deliver an exceptional supercar experience on both road and track has meant tireless work has gone into the integration of active aerodynamics and integrated control systems.”

Not long until those lucky few begin to discover just what that effort has created. For the rest of us, the configurator remains live - Ultra Yellow looks pretty smart…


Author
Discussion

Iamnotkloot

Original Poster:

1,671 posts

159 months

Got to celebrate these while we can

Zenzz

95 posts

117 months

Needs a colour to disguise that gaping grille. Rear looks like a Project One imo… not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

bigyoungdave

232 posts

39 months

I was excited until the article reminded me this is a hybrid. Looks very nice though

WPA

11,296 posts

126 months

Apart from the grille that is a really good looking car

LotusOmega375D

8,396 posts

165 months

Looks good, but I would be worried about parking mine up somewhere, only for a Valkyrie to come and park next to me and make me look like a cheapskate. wink

Crudeoink

943 posts

71 months

I dont mind the grille, although if the fins were all in matte black it would make it look better IMO. Overall its a good looking car and makes a nice change from releasing a car that looks almost identical to the rest of the range. 1000hp and hyrbid is bonkers. Does the Valhalla share any chassis architecture with the Valkyrie? If they could ask Cosworth to borrow some IP from Gordans T50 engine, drop in a slightly de-tuned V12 with a manual gearbox, 500 N/A horsepower delivered to the rear wheels via a manual gearbox.... now we're talking!

pSyCoSiS

3,831 posts

217 months

That is a good looking car, but I just find the headlight design little weird. Noticed that on a few recent cars, including the Maserati models. I just feel they could have designed them to look a little sharper.

Either way, it will be an important car for Aston and no doubt be fully sold out when released.

Red6

531 posts

68 months

Remember seeing the concept of this years ago. Though functional. the overall design lacks appeal. Seems to be a blend of AMG One and 21st Century Bulldog.

thegreenhell

18,637 posts

231 months

It looks about a mile wide, but it's a nice shape overall. Turbo hybrid drivetrains just don't excite me, though, so it would never be on my lottery list.

PRO5T

5,313 posts

37 months

I really like it although I agree about the rear and the AMG-1, somehow it doesn't have the aesthetic nailed down like the rest of the car.

Am I right in thinking these are going to be built be Aston themselves rather than another farmed out project? Might look good as a safety car at the F1.

MountainsofSussex

316 posts

198 months

That front number plate location looks like the exterior equivalent of an "iPad stuck on the dashboard" interior. This is obviously going to be one for the "whoops my numberplate accidentally fell off, officer" crowd

asci.white

454 posts

85 months

MountainsofSussex said:
That front number plate location looks like the exterior equivalent of an "iPad stuck on the dashboard" interior. This is obviously going to be one for the "whoops my numberplate accidentally fell off, officer" crowd
Have to agree, it does look odd in that position but I can see why they did it. They don't really have anywhere else to place it..

Arsecati

2,577 posts

129 months

Absolutely stunning!

bigyoungdave

232 posts

39 months

MountainsofSussex said:
That front number plate location looks like the exterior equivalent of an "iPad stuck on the dashboard" interior. This is obviously going to be one for the "whoops my numberplate accidentally fell off, officer" crowd
Wish you hadn't pointed that out. Now I can't unsee a certain German wartime leader

BigChiefmuffinAgain

1,312 posts

110 months

I think this is at a slightly strange price point/ proposition.

£850k ( which you can probably add another £100k at least ) for a run of 999 cars. And I expect they'll try and do a separate open top version.

That's asking a lot of a lot of people. Not sure it is special enough to sell out. Aston short runs have a mixed heritage....

ChrisCh86

1,013 posts

56 months

That looks sensational. Like a mix between the Valkyrie and AMG Project 1, but much cheaper.

I'd love one

mwstewart

8,223 posts

200 months

Wow.

leglessAlex

5,906 posts

153 months

I really like these, they look like they're more usable than the Valkyrie or Project One, while still being pretty bonkers.

Gruntled

136 posts

91 months

Too heavy for my liking; needs more ride height for the unpaved roads where I live and worried that I can’t fit my bike in the back. Also too wide and rear looks like a Dacia Duster.

CM954

529 posts

197 months

Is it actually too wide - from the photos at least it appears to be the biggest plus for me that it's not ridiculously wide?