2025 Aston Martin Valhalla to launch four years behind schedule: New details
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Four years after it was meant to launch – and six years after the concept was unveiled – the first Aston Martin Valhalla supercars are due to be delivered, with some bound for Australia.
Aston Martin has finally unveiled the showroom version of its first mid-engined series-production car – the Valhalla hybrid supercar – due four years after it was meant to hit the road.
The Valhalla was first shown as the AM-RB 003 concept in 2019, with an in-house-developed twin-turbocharged V6 engine and the promise of a 2021 launch, limited to 500 examples.
After the former boss of Mercedes-AMG took the reins at the British car maker, the original Valhalla design was parked, and the car was redesigned around a twin-turbo V8 for a late 2023 launch.
Now Aston Martin says the car is finally nearing completion – as a 2024 launch date came and went – and is planned to begin deliveries in the second half of 2025.
Production will be limited to 999 examples, with prices yet to be confirmed, but an undisclosed number of cars are destined for Australia.
Powering the production Valhalla – if this is indeed the final article, and it is not delayed further – is a 4.0-litre flat-plane-crank twin-turbocharged V8 engine and three electric motors, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive.
The engine develops 609kW and 857Nm on its own – sent exclusively to the rear wheels – aided by 185kW from the three electric motors (two front, one in the transmission at the rear) for 793kW and 1100Nm combined.
MORE: Aston Martin Valhalla revealed – Production supercar swaps bespoke V6 for hybrid Mercedes-AMG V8
Aston Martin claims the V8 is “bespoke” and “unique” to the Valhalla, but it has previously been reported the engine is derived from the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, the only current AMG model with a flat-plane-crank V8.
The British car maker has not disclosed the bore and stroke of the engine, though it has the same firing order as the GT’s M178 LS2 V8.
The Valhalla carries “performance targets” of 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds, and an electronically-limited 350km/h top speed.
The car starts in Sport mode, with drivers then able to choose between Pure EV, Sport+ and Race settings.
Electric mode uses the front motors only, for up to 14km at speeds up to 140km/h travelling forwards – and there is no reverse gear within the eight-speed transmission, with backwards travel instead operated by the electric motors.
Race mode deploys the hydraulic rear spoiler, which raises by 255mm for maximum downforce, as well as the active front spoiler that can adjust its angle in an F1-like Drag Reduction System function on the straights.
Aston Martin claims the car can produce more than 600kg of downforce between 250km/h and 350km/h, with the wings said to ‘bleed’ downforce en route to the Valhalla’s top speed to maintain the car’s aerodynamic balance.
A trick Integrated Vehicle Dynamics Control computer monitors the suspension, brakes, steering, aerodynamics and powertrain systems to optimise performance, with an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential fitted to the rear axle.
The electric motors are designed to provide a boost as the turbochargers spool up – claimed to mitigate “even the most fleeting moment of turbo lag” – or under heavy acceleration as required.
The Valhalla’s carbon-fibre tub is said to have been engineered with inspiration from Formula One, its lower section weighing only 74kg, and aluminium subframes and F1-style pushrod suspension front and rear.
Despite these measures, the car still weighs 1655kg before fluids are added – similar to a front-engined Vantage V8 non-hybrid coupe – likely due in part to its hybrid battery and power systems.
The suspension is adaptive, 410mm front and 390mm rear carbon-ceramic brakes are standard fitment, and there are 20-inch front and 21-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in the latest Michelin tyres.
Visually, the 2025 Valhalla is very similar to the 2023 iteration, with low-slung aerodynamic styling, a slew of ducts and vents to direct air around the body, and a roof scoop to help cool the engine.
Two of the four exhaust tips exit through the rear decklid of the car, the other two positioned in the diffuser. A new front clamshell design is said to have reduced 20 components to just two for the production version.
Inside, there is an F1-style sports steering wheel and aggressive single-piece carbon-fibre-backed seats, plus a carbon-fibre ‘spine’ running along the centre of the car, housing the gear selector, drive mode control dial and air vents.
There are two screens running Aston Martin’s in-house software, with Apple CarPlay and the requisite menus showing hybrid system settings and performance metrics.
Drivers can set up multiple presets for the advanced safety settings to quickly turn down or turn off particular features for different driving environments.
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