The Aston Martin Valhalla is promising to reshape the sports car market while also giving buyers who can’t afford the all-in Valkyrie hypercar an alternative that’s just as fast but for significantly less money. Aston has been working on the Valhalla for six years with the car originally appearing as the AM-RB 003 concept.
The company still hasn’t shipped it to showrooms just yet but thankfully, the wait is nearly over with the company confirming that it’s begun final validation testing of the Valhalla before it formally launches the model in showrooms.
Valhalla engineers are leaving no stone unturned
To make sure customers will have the perfect delivery experience, Aston is evaluating late-stage prototypes of the car both in the UK and in Spain to try and spot and fix any final bugs before they make their way into consumer-bound vehicles. One went to the IDIADA proving ground, located halfway between Barcelona and Tarragona, next to the Mediterranean coast. There, the car had to undergo handling tests in dry and wet conditions as well as high-speed runs with the firm saying the car in Spain helped the team finalize the active aero, steering, and thermal management settings.
Meanwhile, the car in the UK is being used to test other settings including the dampers for the suspension system. All Valhallas are powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with the engine also being equipped with a hybrid system. The engine is bigger than the V6 that was originally supposed to power it with the V8 making 817 hp by itself. The electric motors from the hybrid system make the remaining 248 hp with the whole setup making over 1,000 hp. It also gives the Valhalla standard all-wheel drive too. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic is the sole transmission on hand.
The car is capable of going short distances in all-electric mode but don’t go too far with the company saying drivers can only go 8.6 miles on all-electric power at speeds up to 80 mph before the V8 kicks back in.
When can I buy one?
The first wave of Valhallas will begin making their way to showrooms later this year, but buyers will have to act fast. Like other recent Aston performance models, production will be limited with the company only making 999 (why it didn’t round up to 1,000 we’ll never know) Valhallas before production ends. The Valhalla will also be entering at a time when the company is attempting to reinvent itself with the Valkyrie giving Aston its first true hypercar while the revived Vanquish coupe and convertible give the brand a formal flagship model.
This comes as the company is also navigating uncertain territory when it comes to electrifying its lineup with Aston already being forced to delay multiple aspects of its plans due to an overall slump in EV demand. The Valkyrie and the Valhalla will allow Aston to explore the outer limits of ICE-powered performance while also giving them more time to put the pieces in place when it comes to their upcoming EV models.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.