By Cam Tait \/ Wednesday, 1 November 2023 \/ Loading comments<\/p>\n
Hard to believe that Aston Martin started dishing out its multi-million-pound V12 Valkyrie to tech billionaires and oil tycoons nearly two years ago now. When the project was announced back in 2017, it was difficult to imagine how a car that to all intents and purposes is a Le Mans racer for the road (and will soon have the racing pedigree to back it up) would ever make it past the bean counters in Gaydon. Yet it did, and found 150 people willing to drop \u00a32,500,000 to get their hands on one.<\/p>\n
Not that they needed much convincing. It doesn\u2019t matter what badge it\u2019s wearing, but anything designed by Adrian Newey and powered by a Cosworth-built V12 is always going to hit the beats of desirability. Quite how Newey managed to shape the wafer-thin layer of carbon fibre bodywork into the shape of something that resembles an Aston Martin – while also generating gargantuan amounts of downforce – is something that, well, only a person with Lord knows how many Formula 1 championships to their name would conceive. Jaw-dropping looks and a mind-blowing soundtrack ensued, resulting in Aston filling out the order books for all coupes and roadsters a year before deliveries got underway.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s only so much face-melting performance mere mortals can take, and the thought of clipping that very low carbon fibre front wing on a stupidly high cul-de-sac kerb probably puts owners off from taking them out all that often. Now, almost 48 months after delivers began, used examples are starting to make their way onto the classifieds. I say ‘used’, but perhaps a better word would be \u2018admired\u2019. From a distance. Without them ever really turning a wheel. Like this 37-mile example right here.<\/p>\n
To be fair to the previous owner, you could quite easily spend an entire day looking at a Valkyrie without even stepping foot in one. There\u2019s just so much to take in, like the exposed F1-style front suspension – which is conveniently painted red on this example – and the flicks along the edges of the floor and ginormous diffuser that not only keeps the car planted to the ground at speed, but also reveals just how tightly packed the Valkyrie is. Very Adrian Newey, that. Then you peek inside and notice the seats are just bits of padded Alcantara stuck to the carbon tub, and that there are a pair of headsets so the driver and passenger can talk to each other. It\u2019s that loud.<\/p>\n
A 6.5-litre V12 right behind your head will do that. There\u2019s 1,000hp on tap from the combustion engine alone, though an electric motor connected between it and the seven-speed sequential gearbox provides a 140hp shove. And though it\u2019s surprisingly on the heavy side at 1,270kg (dry), the combination of all that power and road-legal tyres doubtlessly makes the Valkyrie an absolute monster. Mike had the pleasure of driving one for PH (lucky sod), claiming that it \u201cfeels about 1,000 per cent faster and more exciting\u201d than practically anything else on the planet – including EV hypercar with double the power. <\/p>\n
Time will tell where the Valkyrie sits among the all-time great supercars, but don\u2019t be surprised if it\u2019s mentioned in the same breath as the McLaren F1 and Bugatti Veyron in years to come. All exceptional pieces of engineering which, understandably, come with exceptional price tags. This particular Valkyrie is listed for the grand sum of \u2018POA\u2019, though expect to pay more than the original \u00a32.5m asking price. And if the red-on-black look isn\u2019t cutting it for you, there\u2019s also this delicious Lennox Green example for sale. If we all chip in\u2026<\/p>\n