Remember the AM-RB 003? The concept was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019 as a window into the future of Aston Martin’s next mid-engined supercar. At its premiere, the British brand said we would see the production version before the end of 2021. However, it’s now the second half of 2024 and the final car is still nowhere to be seen. In the meantime, here’s a prototype currently on the road at the Nürburgring.
While we haven’t seen a customer car yet, the test mule looks instantly familiar with its mighty rear wing. It’s an interesting piece of kit that looks more advanced than previous concepts. Its aerodynamic package will produce more than 1,322 pounds of downforce at 149 mph. The livery/camouflage suggests Aston Martin is still not ready to show off the final design. The lightweight side windows suggest this is a beefier version of the AMR, as press photos of the regular Valhalla from 2021 showed regular glass.
That slightly muffled sound you hear isn’t coming from the Aston Martin’s engine. Originally, the supercar was supposed to have an in-house twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, but that was replaced by a larger V-8 sourced from AMG. Also equipped with a pair of turbochargers, the 4.0-liter flat-plane crank mill revs to 7,200 rpm and drives the rear wheels. Hopefully, it’ll be louder on the production-ready model, unless this prototype depicts a European-spec car that will have to meet stricter noise regulations.
The combustion engine itself produces 800 horsepower that is channeled to the rear wheels. However, the Valhalla will not be a pure gasoline supercar as it will adopt a hybrid drivetrain with three electric motors. Combined, this setup will produce 998 hp in an all-wheel-drive supercar without a conventional reverse gear. Instead, the front-mounted motor provides reverse so Aston Martin can save weight. The third electric motor is housed in the transmission and sends power to the rear axle while also doubling as a starter/generator for the combustion engine.
Assuming the performance numbers remain unchanged since Aston Martin last talked about the supercar, the Valhalla will hit 62 mph in two and a half seconds. At full throttle, it will top out at 217 mph. On electric power alone, it won’t go faster than 80 mph. In EV mode, it won’t go much farther than nine miles. As for weight, AM is targeting a very low 3,417 pounds before adding fluids.
Aston Martin has promised to start production this year, with 999 units to be built. The Valhalla will compete with the successor to the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the McLaren Artura and the recently launched Lamborghini Temerario. While pricing is still unknown, it’s safe to assume it will be significantly cheaper than the Valkyrie. There was supposed to be a third mid-engined supercar, based on the 2019 Vanquish Vision concept, but its launch was canceled last year.
However, there's a new front-engine Vanquish coming soon with a twin-turbo V-12 making 824 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.
