We know it has a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, we know that it will be powered by a 6.5-litre V12 and limited to just 150 units worldwide but we’ve not had even a glimpse of what’s inside the Aston Martin-Red Bull (AMRB) hypercar. That is, until now. Enter the Aston Martin Valkyrie.
Pictures of the Valkyrie have long been published, but here are some intricate details of the Valkyrie’s exterior that are just unlike anything else. Aston Martin decided that a traditional wing badge at the nose of the hypercar is deemed “too heavy” and a sticker is not befitting of the Valkyrie’s status. Therefore, the team etched a wing badge that is just 70 microns thick, 30 percent thinner than a human hair, into the body work.
The headlamps are designed with the ethos of “bare essentials”, resulting in a headlamp design that celebrates pure functionality, just like on F1 cars. These sleek LED headlamps not only offer greater illumination but is also 30 to 40 percent lighter than Aston Martins lightest series production headlamps. The third brake light, mounted on the tip of the Valkyrie’s shark fin is the world’s smallest high mounted stop light measuring at 5.5mm wide and 9.5mm high, to reduce unnecessary weight and drag.
Packaging the interior of the Valkyrie is no easy task due to the hypercar’s unique but highly functional sculpture. AMRB together with project partner, AF Racing, have come up with an interior inspired by Formula One and Le Mans race cars. The seats are mounted directly to the carbon tub to maximise interior space and occupants are seated with their feet stretched out, like in F1 cars. The designers claim that this seating position ensures drivers and passengers are extremely safe, perfectly supported and feel completely one with the car.
Aston Martin also claims that the Valkyrie can fit two grown adults snugly. A four-point harness is used to hold the occupants in place while a six-point harness can be optioned for those who take their seven figure (Sterling Pounds that is) hypercar to the track often.
Notice that there are no wing mirrors protruding from the sleek design? That’s because AMRB have done away with the “aerodynamic disturbance”, replaced with discreetly mounted cameras to feed the rear view to the driver. The large roof mounted air-intake also means that the Valkyrie does not come with a rear-view mirror.
Matt Hill, Aston Martin Creative Director of Interiors said of the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s cockpit design said: “It’s been a tremendous challenge to make the interior packaging work. We’ve embraced Red Bull Racing’s Formula One ethos and approached from a different angle than conventional road car design. In this instance, we’ve started from a position where you think something is impossible and work at it until you find a way to make it work.”
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