The Aston Martin Valkyrie, the co-production with the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team, looks set to become the fastest ever production car when it goes on sale. But if that’s not enough, Aston has announced plans for an even more extreme, track-only version.
It’s dubbed the Valkyrie AMR Pro, and just 25 will be built. Despite a price well into the seven figures and a delivery date sometime in 2020, all have already been sold.
As the project’s creative force, Adrian Newey, told us when he first disclosed details of the Valkyrie project, the track-only Valkyrie will have performance to make even its street-legal counterpart look tame. Aston Martin predicts that it will have a top speed close to 250 mph and will be able to sustain cornering forces “in excess of 3.3 g and braking deceleration of more than 3.5 g.” In short, it will be as fast as many a full-fledged racer, with Aston Martin promising that it “will be capable of achieving lap times to rival those of a contemporary F1 or LMP1 car.”
Power will come from a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 engine built by Cosworth; it will work in conjunction with an energy recovery system. Although we don’t have output numbers yet, we’re promised that horsepower and torque will exceed those of the road car [pictured below]. Aerodynamic changes include bigger front and rear wing elements and what will be a state-of-the-art active-aero system “tailored for the demands of track driving.”
Mass is also being pared to sharpen the power-to-weight ratio, with the removal of what Aston describes as extraneous items from the road car, including the HVAC system and the infotainment screens. The windshield will be polycarbonate plastic incorporating heating elements, and the carbon bodywork will be even lighter than the already svelte road car’s. The AMR Pro will also use carbon-fiber suspension control arms and an even lighter (and minimally silenced) exhaust system.
In short, the entire project is making us regret not being billionaires even more than usual. For the chosen few who will get to own and drive it, this promises to be one of the ultimate automotive experiences. The good news for those with slightly less cash, or slightly less luck at getting selected for Aston’s short lists, is that the company is also planning a mid-engined “son of Valkyrie” supercar.
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