In Norse mythology, the Valkyrie were a group of maidens who served the god Odin and were sent by him to the battlefields to choose the slain worthy of a place in Valhalla.
Aston Martin and Heart of Racing will enter two Valkyrie hypercars in the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Their objective is an overall victory in the Hypercar class.
A bit of history: In 2016, Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing partnered to develop a hypercar, initially codenamed AM-RB 001.
Also, to prevent Adrian Newey from leaving to join Ferrari, he was allowed to be the ‘Lead Designer’ (ref: Previous article).
The brief was to create a road-legal car with Formula 1 performance.
The name, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, was announced in 2017. Cosworth built the V12 engine, and Rimac provided the hybrid battery system.
In 2018, prototype testing began with a focus on aerodynamics.
In 2019, the 6.5-litre V12 engine was announced, claiming 1,000 bhp plus an electric motor for a combined 1,160 bhp.
Also, the Valkyrie appeared at events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Production plans were limited to 150 road cars and 25 track-only versions (Valkyrie AMR Pro).
During 2020, Covid inevitably slowed development.
In 2021, final rigorous testing and first deliveries planned.
Ten cars, fewer than planned, were delivered in the last quarter of 2021, causing the company to miss its profit target.
In 2022, full-scale production starts at Aston Martin’s Gaydon facility.
However, there are drawbacks to owning a vehicle designed like a Formula One racing car.
According to a Bloomberg report, servicing the Valkyrie could cost £355,000 over three years.
Returning to the opening paragraph, if you replace maidens with sales ladies, the God Odin with the God Stroll, and Aston Martin in front of Valhalla, it kind of makes sense.
