Aston Martin has revealed its latest V car, and just 38 of the 745PS Twin Turbo 5.2-litre V12 six-speed manual Valiant will be made. All of them are already fully allocated.
The car was inspired by a personal commission by Aston F1 driver and two-times Wolrd Champion Fernando Alonso who wanted a lightweight, more extreme version of the Valour. Aston Martin’s Q team went to work.
Alonso said: ‘Valour was a spectacular celebration of Aston Martin’s 110th anniversary, and stirred me to create a more extreme, race car inspired version that was track focused, while also delivering a thrilling drive on-road. Valiant is born from my passion for driving at the limit and I have enjoyed working closely with the Q by Aston Martin team on both the design and technical specification and believe we have created a masterpiece.’
Valiant has been developed as a track weapon – there are three pre-set driving modes Sport, Sport+ and Track – and, as well as the brutal V12 and manual transmission, will feature huge carbon ceramic brakes (410mm x 38mm front and 360mm x 32mm rear) and very clever state-of-the-art Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) dampers. According to Aston Martin it has done some serious eight-saving: ‘A 3D-printed rear subframe saves 3kg with no reduction in stiffness, while a magnesium torque tube reduces mass at the centre point of the car by 8.6kg. Lightweight 21” magnesium wheels – with 275/35 front and 325/30 rear tyres – improve steering response and wheel control, reducing unsprung mass by 14kg. A motorsport-spec lithium-ion battery has been fitted to save a further 11.5kg.’
It also has aero discs attached directly to the lightweight forged magnesium wheel to reduce drag, in a nice touch inspired by those wheel covers fitted to the 1980 RHAM/1 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer.
Inside, Valiant will have a bespoke wheel, with a slimmer-diameter rim and spokes devoid of distracting switches. There is a built-in half-cage – to which owners can anchor their harnesses – as well as bespoke Recaro Podium seats.
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s executive vice president and chief creative officer, said: ‘Valiant is an extrovert. One look leaves you in no doubt of its intentions. A true thoroughbred aimed at being enjoyed to the full on a racetrack, yet still useable on the road, it takes clear inspiration from motorsport, expressing its character through dramatic, muscular form and a plethora of beautiful, functional details. Amongst these are aero disc wheel covers, which are a nod to the mighty ‘Muncher’ Le Mans car, and a quartet of large diameter titanium exhaust pipes which honour the internal combustion and celebrate the soundtrack of Aston Martin’s magnificent V12.’
Deliveries will start before the end of the year but the Valiant will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 11-14 July, being driven by customer number one – Alonso.
