How the Valkyrie is a far cry from what we think of as Astons Aston Martin, a brand that’s been with us for 112 years. A brand most associated with gentlemen and cruising rather than racetracks and showboating. A car for connoisseurs with taste rather than Youtubers with more money than sense. It’s no surprise they are the vehicle of choice for the beloved Spy with a “Licence to Kill.” But every so often the chaps at Gaydon want to remind us that Aston Martin are also fully fledged racing team. Not only through their past victory in the 1959 24 hours of LeMans or their current stance in Formula 1. And every so often, they like to build a completely bonkers machine that is an uncouth, hard and brutal racer. The most clear example of this was the Valkyrie, their monstrous hypercar that was a result of their collaboration with Red Bull racing. A literal racing car for the road primarily constructed of a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, an Alcantara-filled teardrop cockpit, a micron-thick aluminium badge, lightweight headlights and aluminium suspension components. All of which results in the Valkyrie weighing a featherweight of 1,030kg. All of which meant they could all out with the engine. A high-revving 6.5L Cosworth Developed KERS-Assisted Naturally Aspirated V12 that generates an incredible 1140 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. Couple this to the 7-speed single clutch gearbox and lightweight construction, which results in an astonishing 1106 horsepower per tonne. 0-62mph takes a rapid 2.5 seconds, and the top speed is a stratospheric 250mph. All the while your ears are bathed in heaven from that 11,100rpm screaming V12. But it's not the speed that it impresses most, it’s the way this thing annihilates corners. This, alongside the AMG One, are literally F1 cars for the road and its handling is the most clear aspect of this. It's fitted with adjustable flaps, a wide front splitter, an enormous rear diffuser, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and winglets all around. Couple this to the teardrop cockpit and what results is a car that corners with the agility of a kitten. And every snap of the gear change, and the howl of the V12 results in possibly the most exciting and enthralling experience of any hypercar of recent years. Read More Aston Martin Valkyrie Smashes Silverstone Lap Record: Beating Fully-Fledged Racing Cars in the Process But it’s not just exciting, it's effective. In braking it generates an impressive 1.9G and in the corners, the full 3.3G. In fact last year, the Valkyrie set the lap record for production cars at Silverstone with an impressive time of 1:56.42. And now several months later, the Valkyrie has set another lap record, perhaps a far more important one. The Importance of the Top Gear Test Track Before the multitude of record-breakers at the Nürburgring, there was one track all petrolheads considered gospel for lap records. As petrolheads, a lot of our love for cars comes from tuning into BBC Two every Sunday evening and watching the world’s greatest motoring show, Top Gear. And nearly every episode saw a high-performance car be taken around the iconic Dunsfold by the show’s tame racing driver, the Stig. During the Golden Era of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, the king of Dunsfold was the exotic and evocative Pagani Huayra, which back in 2013, set an impressive time of 1:13.8. When the BBC made the biggest mistake of their lives in getting rid of Clarkson and Co., the show saw a new presenting team take over, and Top Gear quickly fell from its graces. Yet the lap records at the Top Gear Test Track continued with the Ferrari SF90 Stradale becoming the new king. Five years ago, it set an immense time of 1:11.3. However, after presenter Freddie Flintoff’s momentous accident, and the dropping views in recent years the BBC put Top Gear on indefinite hold. In recent months, the Top Gear YouTube channel has hosted its personal Stig Laps. Of which the Koenigsegg Jesko Attack set the new lap record, with a time of 1:10.9. Becoming the New King of Dunsfold With a perfect weather rating, a bright sunny day and cool temperature, it was time for the Valkyrie to stretch its legs at Dunsfold. Which meant handing it over to the tame Racing Driver. “Some say that beneath his visor is nothing but a large eyeball and that if he were in charge of Tesla, he’d ensure his Cybertruck was completely bulletproof before showing it on live air you half-witted moron. All we know is he’s called the Stig." And sure enough through cornering flat through Hammerhead and going flat through Follow Through, the result was an immense 1:09.6. A whole 1.3 seconds faster than the Jesko Atack and nearly 2 seconds faster than the SF90. Through the Valkyrie, Aston have proven themselves capable of building the ultimate speed machine. Let’s hope the Valhalla can continue this trend. Hopefully a 1:05 at Dunsfold. Source: Top Gear
