Aston Martin Valhalla – four-wheel-drive 1,012PS hybrid hypercar
We’ll address the latter first because, well, the numbers are quite exciting. We knew it was going to use a version of the four-litre flat-plane crank hot-V twin-turbo V8 from the AMG GT Black Series, in combination with a hybrid system. What we didn’t know was the exact make-up and output of the powertrain as a whole.
The engine will be working in tandem with three e-motors – two on the front axle and one in the transmission – to deliver a 1,012PS (744kW) system output to all four wheels. Yes, the Valhalla will be all-wheel drive, with the front electric motors handling reverse gear in addition to the transmission e-motor handling engine fire-up duties and ancillaries. The use of twin motors up front also opens up a world of possibilities in terms of torque vectoring.
It’s important to stress again that, unlike the Valkyrie, the Valhalla will be a series production car, offering performance, technology, but also general availability to match the Lamborghini Revuelto and Ferrari SF90. The F1 technical crossover comes courtesy of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, the consulting arm of the F1 constructor, with dynamics, aerodynamics and materials being the three key areas of development.
In terms of dynamics, more and more development is taking place in simulators, with the Valhalla taking shape up to 90 per cent completion virtually, before physical prototype verification begins. Speaking most to how much you can get done virtually now is the fact that the first road-going prototypes won’t hit the road until nearer the end of the year, even though production is expected to begin in 2024.