Aston Martin Valhalla

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Aston Martin Valhalla, ready for production

The Aston Martin Valhalla concept was introduced at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, intended to become Aston Martin’s hybrid supercar with an in-house developed V6 engine coupled to multiple electric motors, and while the production of the 150 units has been postponed a few times, as late as 2023, another blow came when rumors surfaced Aston Martin wouldn’t be able to continue the development of their bespoke V6 engine, but instead would turn to a Mercedes AMG sourced V8 for their $3,000,000 Valhalla supercar.

Just about every car manufacturer out there is talking about electrification or at least hybridization, and that’s what Aston Martin’s Project Horizon is all about, the transition from internal combustion engines to hybrid, which will lead to full electrification later on, and not only will the Valhalla be a high-power hybrid, but it will also be Aston Martin’s first mid-engined supercar, a move away from ultra-luxury GT cars they are famous for globally today.

The Aston Martin Valhalla is a showcase of technology, with Lawrence Stroll as Executive Chairman and the return of Aston Martin in Formula One racing, it shouldn’t come as a surprise the Valhalla’s chassis, aerodynamics, and electronics are taken from Formula One experiences, add a mid-mounted V8 engine into the mix with the aid of electric motors, the torque is instant, the Valhalla will offer an amazing driving experience for the 150 fortunate owners that can enjoy this first for Aston Martin.

The total power output on the Aston Martin Valhalla is 950 hp, with 750 hp from the turbocharged V8 engine and the remaining 200 hp from the electric powertrain, and while 4-Liter V8 twin-turbo engine might have been sourced from Mercedes AMG, it is a bespoke unit for the Aston Martin Valhalla, at 7,200 rpm the maximum power of 750 hp goes to the rear wheels only, while a 150kW/400V battery hybrid system uses an E-Motor on the front axle, and a second E-Motor on the rear axle to add 200 hp more.

If the driver opts to use EV mode only, there will be power to the front axle exclusively, in all other driving modes, the electric motors are engaged on both axles, in a varying split front to rear, when conditions are right the full-electric power will be sent to the rear axle only, making sure the combined output from the V8 engine and the rear E-Motor offer exhilarating performance and acceleration to the driver.

Aston Martin’s CEO, Tobias Moers commented: “Preserving the essence of an exceptional concept car is vital when meeting the challenge of bringing it into production. With Valhalla not only have we stayed true to our commitment to building a world-beating supercar, but we have exceeded our original aims. The result is a pure driving machine – one which exists right at the cutting edge of performance and technology yet allows the driver to feel the emotion and thrill of complete connection and control.”

Being a hybrid, the transmission had to be completely redesigned for the Valhalla, the 8-Speed DCT unit is also bespoke for the Aston Martin Valhalla, there is no real reverse gear, to move backward the electric motors are used, still this transmission comes with an Electronic Limited Slip Differential at the rear for top-of-the-line traction and handling, thanks to the fact the V8 and E-Motors can be in a different gear inside the DCT, the maximum torque of 1,000 Nm is possible.

A totally silent drive is possible in full EV-mode while a top speed of 80 Mph (130 km/h) can be achieved this way over a range of 15 km, but when that big twin-turbo V8 engine comes to join the top speed goes to 217 mph (330 km/h) with an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, as this is a street-legal race car, Aston Martin is hoping to set a record time of 6:30 on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Ralph Illenberger, Head of Powertrain Engineering said: “Valhalla is our first opportunity to really show what we are capable of in a true production sense. We have created our own bespoke air-to-air charge-cooled, flat-plane crank V8 engine and have combined it with a powerful hybrid system. And, of course, we also have our own bespoke Dual Clutch Transmission – a first for Aston Martin and an essential component both for Valhalla and future Aston Martin models. The result is a truly world-class powertrain for an efficient, ultra-performing supercar.”

The base for the Aston Martin Valhalla is a lightweight carbon fiber tub with F1 inspired pushrod front suspension while the rear suspension is a multilink design, with Multimatic Variable Spring rate and Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) Damper units, when in ‘Track mode’ the dampers aren’t only stiffer, but the ride height is considerably lowered for maximum downforce, but for more practicality, the front axle comes with a lift system to get onto driveways.

Stopping power comes from large carbon-ceramic disc brakes together with bespoke Michelin tires in a staggered 20-inch and 21-inch, as usual, the tires have been specifically designed for this car which comes in at an overall weight of 1,550 kg, thanks to the experience gained from the Valkyrie hypercar, the aerodynamics on the Valhalla have been optimized to create an impressive downforce of 600 kg at 150 mph giving this car amazing stability at speed and offers high-speed cornering with ease.

When opening the forward-hinged dihedral doors that have cut-outs in the roof for easier entry or exit of the Aston Martin Valhalla, you can be greeted by either an RHD or an LHD configuration as Aston Martin intends to offer both options to their clients, and in case you are too tall to fit into the Valkyrie, you’re in luck as interior space in the Valhalla is larger, and features a touchscreen HMI on the central console with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The two seats inside the Valhalla are fixed onto the carbon-fiber tub, instead, both the pedals and the steering wheel can be adjusted to fit the driver, with a raised footwell you’ll get that Formula One feeling behind the wheel of the Valhalla.

For Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, Valhalla is an opportunity for the Aston Martin design team to express extreme performance with fresh form and proportion, and to capture the brand’s bold future-forward approach: “When we created the Valhalla concept we were keen to emphasize the design legacy of the Aston Martin Valkyrie and that intent remains unchanged, but the execution has evolved considerably in order to reach production of this all-new car. Though the legacy of Valkyrie is clear, Valhalla is now a more mature, fully resolved piece of design. One which combines the pure aerodynamic function you would expect from a marque competing in Formula One^® together with the beautiful form, striking proportions, and exemplary detailing for which Aston Martin is renowned.”

There is no mention in the latest press release about delivery dates for the first customer cars from Aston Martin, but while this amazing looking, classic British Racing Green finished ‘production prototype’ for the Valhalla is production-ready according to Aston Martin, there is still a long way of development to go before the first of the 150 units can be shipped out, I’m sure we’ll be seeing Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll, and Nico Hulkenburg behind the wheel of several Valhalla test mules to fine-tune the dynamic properties over the next year or so, and that 2023 date for initial deliveries sounds plausible.

July 15, 2021 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Valhalla is ready to Ragnarok with 937 plug-in horsepower

The Aston Martin Valhalla is here. The company’s first series-production, mid-engine monster packs 937 plug-in hybrid horsepower in a lightweight carbon fiber chassis. This 217-mph hypercar is expected to run a 6:30 lap around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Originally, the hopeful Ferrari killer was referred to as Project 003. It was later renamed Valhalla and was on track to make its debut with an in-house, 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 – the first engine Aston developed in-house since a 5.3-liter V8 entered production in 1969. After Daimler increased its stake in the British luxury builder in 2020, those plans went out the window.

Rather than an in-house V6, the Valhalla will now be powered by a customized AMG Black series V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain. The twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter flat-plane-öcrank V8 makes a respectable 740 horsepower all on its own. Two electric motors combine for an additional 201. That should add up to 941, not 937; we’re assuming a few stray horses drowned crossing the Great Sea of Unit Conversion.

The engine and motors are paired to a unique eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that has no physical reverse gear. Instead, the electric motors are run the opposite direction to simulate a backward gear, saving both weight and complexity in the gearbox. This is mated to an advanced torque vectoring all-wheel drive system can send 100% of available electric power to either the front or rear axles.

Aston Martin says it will do 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds on the way to a 217 mph top speed. Around town, it can also cruise in electric-only mode for up to 9 miles up to a speed of 80 mph, but we suspect you’ll deplete the battery much more quickly than that if you floor it up to its top EV speed.

“Preserving the essence of an exceptional concept car is vital when meeting the challenge of bringing it into production,” said CEO Tobias Moers. “With Valhalla not only have we stayed true to our commitment to build a world-beating supercar, but we have exceeded our original aims. The result is a pure driving machine — one which exists right at the cutting edge of performance and technology yet allows the driver to feel the emotion and thrill of complete connection and control.”

Its carbon fiber body construction makes it ultra-light (just 3,417 pounds, which is nothing for a PHEV) and super rigid. Its adaptive spring and damper suspension was developed with Multimatic, and like most modern supercars it offers adjustable ride height and a front-axle lift system for clearing troublesome obstacles. The aero was inspired by (and in some ways borrowed from) F1 and produces 600 kg (1,322 pounds) of downforce at 150 mph.

While this may be a series-production model, don’t expect to see too many of them around town. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if they’re all already spoken for. Stay tuned for more details as Aston Martin ramps toward production and reveals more details about the Valhalla’s driving experience.

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July 15, 2021 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Pushes Valhalla to Launch in 2023

Aston Martin’s new CEO Tobias Moers has just given an update on one of Aston’s latest hypercars named Valhalla. Previously, deliveries were said to take place in mid-2021 but that was pushed back to 2022.

Originally, the Valhalla (under the code name “AM-RB 003”) was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show as a concept. It was to be released as a hypercar you could actually get your hands on, unlike the Aston Martin Valkyrie due to the limited production of just 150 cars. The Valhalla was said to have a 500 car production and have deliveries take place in early 2022.

According to MotorAuthority, Moers has pushed back the delivery date to the last half of 2023. The reason for this additional delay is so the Aston Martin team can “reassess” the hypercar’s design, inclusive of the powertrain. The revised Valhalla will be ready for viewing for potential buyers within the next four months according to a report from Autocar.

The original powertrain design of the Valhalla was similar to that of the recently released 2022 McLaren Artura. The Valhalla was to be comprised of a V-6 engine combined with a hybrid powertrain. The V-6 was going to be a brand new engine developed in-house at Aston Martin, but it’s been said Aston Martin may be sourcing a Mercedes-Benz powerplant instead.

Mercedes-Benz owns 20% of Aston Martin and currently supplies them with V-8 engines from the AMG division. Mercedes is also supplying Aston’s F1 team with engines for the 2021 season. With all of that in mind, it would not be unusual for Aston Martin to source a Mercedes-Benz V-6 for the Valhalla.

February 25, 2021 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Valhalla In Action on the Racetrack For the First Time

Aston’s Vallhalla Takes On Silverstone

To celebrate Aston’s debut of the Valhalla in North America, the company decided to showcase a video of its new car tearing around Silverstone. The video was shown at The Quail. In the video, the Valhall and the Valkyrie both shoot around the track looking like they’re right where they belong.

The video is less than a minute long and goes by way too quickly. We could sit around a watch these things on the racetrack all day long. Still, it’s nice to see the Valhalla and Valkyrie doing their thing. The Valhalla in the video is what the company calls a dynamic concept. That means they’re still tweaking the car as it gets closer to the end of development.

The Valhalla and Valkyrie are similar cars in many ways, but the Valhalla is designed to be a bit more livable day-to-day whereas the Valkyrie is a hardcore track monster. This is evident just by looking at them. The Valhalla is smoother and softer. It’s door entry and egress is a little easier to handle, and the interior is a little more spacious and comfortable.

While Aston hasn’t said exactly what the car’s performance will be, it has said the vehicle will get a turbocharged V6 engine that should put power out to all four wheels. The power number is supposed to be around 1,000 hp. This should make the car good for a 0-60 mph time of about 2.5 seconds.

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August 17, 2019 / Comments Off

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Aston Martin Valhalla

Even until now, the fact remains that only society’s elite can afford to own supercars and hypercars. These high-performance automobiles are masterpieces that only the best designers and engineers can manage to create. Now, one British carmaker is preparing a worthy offering that will even tempt the gods. So let’s witness in reverence the impending arrival of the Aston Martin Valhalla. It’s going to be a mythical chariot on track to become a legend. Just one look at its jaw-dropping aesthetics is already giving us goosebumps.

Some of you might recognize it as the AM-RB 003 concept. It made its debut during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Insiders point out that Aston Martin is naming it Valhalla for a specific reason. Just like the Vantage and the Valkyrie, the brand is reportedly assigning all of its high-performance models names starting with the letter “V” as a tradition. You should know that British Formula One engineer Adrian Newey and Red Bull Advanced Technologies are also on board with the project.

This follow-up to the marque’s first hypercar uses ultra-lightweight materials and exceptional aerodynamics. It appears that the engineers are going with carbon fiber components all around to keep weight to a minimum. Intimate details regarding its powertrain are still under wraps, but it will apparently rely on a crossbred configuration. We’re talking about a high-output, high-efficiency V6 turbocharged petrol engine alongside a hybrid battery-electric system. We’re expecting to see a celestial spec sheet when more details regarding the Aston Martin Valhalla pop up in the future.

Learn more about it from Aston Martin

Images courtesy of Aston Martin

June 19, 2019 / Comments Off

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