Aston Martin took the wraps off the ultimate mind-bending version of its 225mph hypercar as it staged the world debut of its new Valkyrie AMR Pro – for use only on the track.
Just 25 are being built with first deliveries commencing in 2020. The bad news, even if you’ve got the estimated £3million needed to buy one, is that they’ve all been sold already.
The hard-core track-only car, which accelerates from rest to 60mph in under three seconds, has been engineered by F1 boffins and could be the ultimate millionaire’s track day weapon. The Hybrid V12 powertrain develops more than 1,100bhp – the equivalent to 11 Ford Fiestas strapped together – and its aerodynamics generate more than 1000kg of downforce to keep the car glued to the tarmac.
To celebrate the unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin created the ultimate Top Trumps card – after the popular card game that celebrates key facts and figures.
There won’t be many cars that will beat it in a head-to-head comparison, with Aston Martin boosting performance with calibration changes to the powerful 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine’s emission control systems and by re-programming of the Energy Recovery System control software.
It is based on the Valkyrie road-car, of which just 150 are being built and all pre-sold – at a cost of up to £2.5million each.
Aston Martin said the AMR Pro version has performance capabilities of a current Le Mans LMP1 prototype or Formula One car and ‘distills the combined knowledge, expertise and aspirations‘ of three key elements: Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey; Aston Martin’s design and engineering team led by chief creative officer Marek Reichman; and chief special operations officer David King.
The Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro was flanked on the Geneva show stand by the 2018 Aston Martin Red Bull Racing F1TM show car and Aston Martin Racing’s new Vantage GTE World Endurance Championship challenger.
It was unveiled by Newey and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Team Principal, Christian Horner, joined by design boss Reichman and Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer – the official watch partner of Aston Martin and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.
Aston Martin said: ‘Key to the car’s unprecedented track performance are its lightweight construction and high-downforce aerodynamics – a combination that will result in a car that weighs 1000kg, yet is capable of generating more than its own weight in downforce.’
This is helped aerodynamically by wider bodywork and much larger front and rear wing elements, together with revised active aerodynamic control tailored for the demands of track driving.
In order to save weight the bodywork uses a lighter construction of carbon fibre. The hypercar has also been on a strict diet ditching any unnecessary fripperies to ensure it hits its 1000kg weight target.
Out goes the heater/de-mister blower and infotainment screens fitted to the road car and in comes new ultra-lightweight track-specific components such as a polycarbonate windscreen (with heater elements) and side windows, carbon fibre suspension wishbones, moulded race seats and a lighter exhaust system.
Aston Martin said: ‘The single-minded pursuit of top speed has never been part of the Valkyrie ethos, yet even in high-downforce track configuration the AMR Pro is still capable of hitting 225mph.
‘Of far greater benefit to lap time is the track-only Valkyrie’s ability to achieve lateral acceleration in excess of 3G – a figure far beyond that of any other car derived from a fully homologated road car.
Red Bull Racing’s chief technical officer, Adrian Newey said: ‘The Aston Martin Valkyrie road car draws extensively from the knowledge I have gained during my career in Formula One, but the AMR Pro version has allowed me to work beyond the constraints of road legality, or indeed practicality.
‘We’ve told a few of its secrets, but by no means all. I will leave it to the public to ponder the lap time predictions. Suffice to say they’re quite impressive.’
