Aston Martin hasn’t even started delivering its $3.2 million Valkyrie hypercar and it’s already found a way to turn this extreme carbon fiber road car into a vehicle with the performance chops of the LMP1 LeMans prototypes used in circuit races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Aston Martin revealed Tuesday at the International Geneva Motor Show the Valkyrie AMR Pro, a track-only vehicle that the British brand developed with Adrian Newey, chief technical officer of Red Bull Racing, and the automaker’s own design and engineering teams.
The company is only making 25 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pros vehicles. And every one of them has already been sold. Deliveries of the AMR Pro are expected to begin in 2020.
Aston Martin isn’t releasing much information about the vehicle yet. Here’s what we know. The Valkyrie AMR Pro has a hybrid 1,100-horsepower V-12 engine and a redesigned more aerodynamic body that helps it generate more downforce. The AMR Pro has a wider body as well as larger front and rear wing elements.
The automaker used a lighter construction of carbon fiber and removed unnecessary items (for a track car) like the heater and infotainment screens found in the road car version of the Valkyrie to save on weight. New additions to this track-ready hypercar include a polycarbonate windscreen with heater elements and side windows, carbon fiber suspension wishbones, and moulded race seats and a lighter exhaust system.
Aston Martin says top speed is not part of the Valkyrie ethos, although it notes the AMR Pro is capable of hitting 225 miles per hour. The automaker is more keen on the car’s ability to achieve maximum lateral acceleration, meaning pushing the limits of the vehicle’s corning capabilities.
“I will leave it to the public to ponder the lap time predictions. Suffice to say they’re quite impressive,” Newey said in a statement.