Aston Martin has announced that it will produce an “extreme” road-going version of its Valor sports car, called the Aston Martin Valiant, personally commissioned by F1 legend Fernando Alonso.
Alonso made an immediate impact at Aston Martin after joining the team ahead of the 2023 F1 season, scoring a total of eight podium finishes in his first year at the Silverstone outfit.
Aston Martin Valiant: The brainchild of Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin announced earlier this year that the two-time world champion had signed a new multi-year contract with the team until at least the end of the 2026 F1 season – he will be 45 by then – and Alonso described the deal as a “lifelong project” that would “keep me connected with Aston after many, many years.”
The Aston Martin Valiant is manufactured by the company’s Q division, which allows owners to design the look of their cars.
In a statement, Alonso said: “Valour was a spectacular celebration of Aston Martin’s 110th anniversary and inspired me to create a more extreme racing-inspired version that focuses on the track while providing an exhilarating drive. [the] road.
“The Valiant was born out of my passion for driving at the limit and I enjoyed working closely with the Q by Aston Martin team on both design and technical specifications and I believe we have created a masterpiece.”
What is the Aston Martin Valiant?
Aston Martin announced the birth of the Aston Martin Valiant on 26 June 2024, with the car originally commissioned by Alonso in collaboration with the bespoke manufacturer’s Q division.
Alonso challenged Aston Martin to create a lighter, more extreme, motorsport-inspired version of the special edition Valor produced to mark the brand’s 110th anniversary in 2023, which was in turn based on the DBS model.
It is the second supercar Alonso has directly influenced after the two-time world champion’s former employers Alpine – with whom he won both of his F1 world championships in 2005/06 – announced Fernando Alonso’s October 2022 Alpine A110 R.
Although it was only revealed after Alonso announced he was leaving for Aston Martin, Alpine went ahead with plans to build 32 versions of the car, a number chosen to reflect the number of grand prix wins Alonso had achieved.
What do we know about the technical specification of the Aston Martin Valiant?
The Aston Martin Valiant is described as “the most extreme front-engined road car Aston Martin has ever built” with “everything it knows learned on the track”.
It features a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 engine with a six-speed manual transmission—producing a whopping 745 horsepower—non-fade carbon-ceramic brakes and a four-pipe titanium exhaust system.
Aston Martin global boss Marco Mattiacci, who previously spent a brief spell as Alonso’s team boss at Ferrari in 2014, noted that the car had been treated to an “obsessive weight reduction” program and was in the realm of “motorsport”. degree of lightness” where the Valiant excels.
Weight-saving tricks include the use of a 3D-printed rear subframe, which is claimed to shave 3kg without impacting stiffness, as well as a magnesium torsion tube that takes 8.6kg off the center of the car.
With a lithium-ion battery that saves 11kg and 21-inch magnesium wheels that return 14kg, the total weight loss compared to the Valor is estimated at 100kg.
The Valiant’s bodywork has been sculpted from carbon fiber to improve downforce while reducing drag, with wheel covers inspired by the Aston Martin ‘Muncher’ that raced in the legendary 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The car is also equipped with state-of-the-art Multimatic dampers, which can adjust to any of 32 settings in six milliseconds.
Inside, the two-seater prioritizes functionality over performance with large areas of exposed carbon fiber, a built-in steel half-cage and racing-style seats equipped with four-point harnesses.
A new circular steering wheel was fitted with a slimmer frame and was stripped of all switches to improve the connection between the car and the driver.
Resistance on the slopes? A large cutout in the transmission tunnel, revealing the gearing.
How many will be produced and how much will the Aston Martin Valiant cost?
Aston Martin has not disclosed how much the Valiant will cost, but it is estimated to be worth around $2.56 million.
The manufacturer has confirmed that 38 Valiants will be sold, with a high level of customization expected.
When will I see the Aston Martin Valiant for real?
The Aston Martin Valiant will make its first public appearance at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 11-14.
Alonso himself will be behind the wheel to demonstrate the Valiant’s performance on the popular Hillclimb circuit at Goodwood.
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