More familiar is the engine: a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 that has always been at the heart of all Valkyries. It revs to 11,000rpm and delivers its 1,014PS without any electric assistance. The road car’s hybrid side has been ditched to save weight. There are more weight saving mods too, including lighter carbon-fibre bodywork, carbon suspension wishbones and Perspex windscreen and side windows.
“The Valkyrie AMR Pro is testament to Aston Martin’s commitment to pure performance and this performance DNA will be evident in our future product portfolio,” Aston CEO Tobias Moers tells us.
Hooray for that. In many ways it’s surely a miracle this car is happening at all, given how much has changed since the Valkyrie first saw the light of day in 2017: company ownership, senior management, Le Mans rules, Aston’s participation in F1, not to mention more hypercar competition than ever and an upended, pandemic-struck car market – none of this was foreseen in 2017.
Almost four years ago we wrote: “The road car may not be out yet but already Aston Martin is finalising the design of the track-only version of the new Valkyrie as things getting hotter and hotter in the hypercar stakes.”
Nothing changes but everything changes! At least the car is coming… and who cares if it is perhaps expedient use of now surplus-to-requirements race chassis?