Aston Martin has played the ultimate Top Trumps card at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show with the world debut of the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the sensational track-only evolution of the marque’s spectacular hypercar.
Taking the world’s most extreme road car as its basis, the AMR Pro version distills the combined knowledge, expertise and aspirations of Adrian Newey (Chief Technical Officer of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing) and Aston Martin’s most talented design and engineering teams, led by Marek Reichman (Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer) and David King (Chief Special Operations Officer) to create a car with the performance capabilities of a current Le Mans LMP1 prototype or Formula One car.
Full technical details of the Valkyrie AMR Pro will be revealed in due course, but those headline figures that can be disclosed provide a remarkable statement of intent. Key to the car’s unprecedented track performance are its lightweight construction and high-downforce aerodynamics – a combination that will result in a car that weighs 1000kg, yet is capable of generating more than its own weight in downforce.
To achieve this remarkable figure, all the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro’s aerodynamic surfaces have been revised in the pursuit of significantly increased downforce. Most obvious changes are wider bodywork and much larger front and rear wing elements which, together with revised active aerodynamic control strategies, are tailored for the demands of track driving.
In order to save weight, this bodywork uses a lighter construction of carbon fibre. Likewise, the removal of items such as the heater/demister blower and infotainment screens fitted to the road car, and through the fitment of new ultra-lightweight track-specific components such as a polycarbonate windscreen (with heater elements) and side windows, carbon fibre suspension wishbones, moulded race seats and a lighter exhaust system ensure the AMR Pro hits its 1000kg weight target.
Calibration changes to the 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine’s emission control systems and re-programming of the Energy Recovery System control software will result in a combined power output of over 1100bhp – more than the Valkyrie road car and a figure that comfortably exceeds the magic 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. That’s to say, more than 1bhp to propel every kilogram of mass.
The single-minded pursuit of top speed has never been part of the Valkyrie ethos, yet even in high-downforce track configuration the AMR Pro is still capable of hitting 362km/h. Of far greater benefit to lap time is the track-only Valkyrie’s ability to achieve lateral acceleration in excess of 3g, a figure far beyond that of any other track machine derived from a fully homologated road car.
Just 25 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pros will be built. Deliveries are expected to commence in 2020, and all cars have been sold.
