When you have a two-time Formula One Champion within your payroll, a man who despite being 42 years old, races with the tenacity and confidence of a driver 20 years his junior. A man who is more than just a driver, he’s the gel that has allowed a once struggling team to battle it out week after week with the sport’s best. When that man calls upon Aston Martin’s Q department for his own car, you just know it’s going to be something special. The Aston Martin Valiant is just that, and every element, from its dynamic chassis to monstrous power output is truly special, but he’s not the only one who’ll get to experience the fruits of his labour, a mere 38 examples will be allocated to lucky owners worldwide.
Alonso wanted a lightweight, more extreme, race car inspired version of the spectacular, Aston Martin Valour, but one that could still be enjoyed on the open road. The result is a true masterpiece in driving delight, its twin-turbo 5.2-litre V12 now racking up a staggering 745 horsepower, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, leaving just the car and driver to feel closer than ever before.
The Valiant continues a strong lineage of Aston Martins that not only all feature the letter ‘V’, but also deliver true driving intensity both on-road and on-track. Valkyrie, Valhalla, Valour, even down to the Vantage, Aston Martin have placed themselves at the forefront of supplying drivers the opportunity to experience the limit in cars that are not only biblically fast, but feature innovation and agility like nothing else on the road. The new model features a wealth of 3D-printed components, including its rear subframe, saving a heafty 3 kilos with no reduction in stiffness, while a magnesium torque tube reduces mass at the centre point of the car by 8.6kg. The lightness continues even down to the wheels, with the 21-inch magnesium wheels wrapped in 325mm rear tyres allow the car to showcase its ability out on the track. Aston Martin are most proud of their Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve dampers, capable of simultaneously adjusting each damper to one of thirty-two discreet damper curves in less than six milliseconds, marking a new benchmark for suspension technology, and allowing drivers to adjust the car to their ultimate specification.
While first deliveries are due to commence later on in 2024, the Valiant will make its public debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with dynamic demonstrations on the famous Hill Climb course, something we are all very excited to see, and hear!
