When an F1 Genius, a Hypercar Vision, and a V12 Scream Become an Obsession
When Adrian Newey – yes, that genius behind Red Bull’s F1 aerodynamic masterpieces – said he wanted to build a road car as terrifyingly effective as his racing machines, few believed he'd actually succeed. Fast forward to November 2021, and there stood the Valkyrie, rolling out of Aston Martin's Gaydon plant like a blood‑spattered Valkyrie descending from the sky.
Newey, alongside Christian Horner and ex‑Aston chief Andy Palmer, spearheaded the project. They convinced seasoned engineers at Cosworth, Ricardo, Rimac and Multimatic to collaborate. The result? A 6.5‑litre Cosworth‑built naturally aspirated V12 that revs to a mind‑bending 11,100 rpm, pumping out 1,160hp combined with its KERS hybrid system—making it the most powerful NA engine in a road car.
Testing? It wasn’t just chassis shakedowns at Silverstone piloted by Chris Goodwin and later Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon—it was raw theatre. You’d almost expect F1 drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll lending their hands—indeed Vettel and Stroll were involved in developing the AMR Pro variant.
When it burst onto the scene at Goodwood Festival of Speed, driven up the hill by Lance Stroll, jaws dropped—and so did the car (briefly broke down, classic Aston). Still, by 0 to 60 mph in under 2.5 seconds, its fury was undeniable.
Personally, I’d liken it to being strapped into a fighter jet where the pilot also makes you breakfast and rearranges your furniture. The Valkyrie AMR Pro took all that insane artistry and stripped away the road‑car niceties: no hybrid system, full LMP1 downforce, extended wheelbase, wider track, and livery that says “I outrun rules.” It was meant to lap Le Mans in near‑LMP1 times—3 min 20 sec around the Circuit, if you can believe it.
But here’s the kicker: every one of the 150 coupés, 85 Spiders, and 40 AMR Pros sold out before production even wrapped. Aston Martin missed its profit targets by £15 million in early 2022 because deliveries were slower than expected—but the demand never vanished.
In short, the Valkyrie is the automotive equivalent of snorting pure adrenaline. It’s loud, technical, absurd—and utterly brilliant. It’s not practical, it’s not polite, but by God is it unforgettable.
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