Aston Martin has undergone a lot of changes lately. For a brand that’s traditionally known for its good-looking, luxurious grand tourers, they’re now a major force in the world of racing, too. Its in-house motorsports programme extends into GT racing, Formula 1, and endurance racing. It’s not a surprise then that Aston Martin is keen to bring more of that racing pedigree to their road cars, and the latest track-focused racer in mind to get this treatment is the limited edition Valiant. Unfortunately, if you’re thinking of cashing in a cheque for one, you’re likely too late.
Only 38 examples of the £2-million Valiant will be made, and it’s probably already reserved for Aston Martin’s most distinguished, most loyal clientele. Although, we’re lucky to get any at all, as this Valiant limited edition track-day toy was originally a special commission by none other than Aston Martin F1 team driver, Fernando Alonso, through their Q bespoke service division. The eagle-eyed among you might’ve noticed that the Valiant shares a striking resemblance to the Valour, AM’s other limited-run car. This time, though, the Valiant is made for the track.
V12 And Manual Gearbox – Can You Ask For More?
Lighter, edgier, and more extreme than the grand touring-focused Valour (as well as the Victor, a one-off based on the iconic One-77), the Valiant is a display of Aston Martin’s racing prowess. Underneath, it’s powered by a front-engined 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, which will crank out a whopping 745PS and 753Nm of torque. Better yet, all this power goes through a 6-speed manual transmission. While the Valiant is engineered to conquer your local track, it’s homologated for road use, too. There’s more than just raw power, as well.
If you demand fade-free braking on a dime, the Valiant comes as standard with a massive set of carbon ceramic brakes. Moreover, the Valiant is pretty lightweight, to boot. Aston Martin’s use of 3D printing with the rear subframe has saved 3kg, with no compromise in stiffness. On top of that, a magnesium torque tube cuts down 8.6kg, and a race-spec lithium-ion battery is going to save you another 11.5kg. Besides that, lightweight 21-inch magnesium alloy wheels reduce unsprung mass by 14kg, further improving steering response and overall handling.
Aston Martin’s Edgy And Aggressive Track-Day Toy
Arguably one of the most consequential additions to the Aston Martin Valiant might not even be the engine or the weight savings, but its suspension. Now featuring a Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) set of dampers, it can adjust each damper in less than six milliseconds. This motorsports-grade and state-of-the-art suspension enables Aston Martin’s engineers to best fine-tune the Valiant’s ride and handling, both on-road and on-track. To make use of the new Multimatic ASV to its fullest, built-in drive modes let you tweak the experience as you desire.
Just ensure you don’t crash it though, as I can’t imagine that gorgeously-crafted carbon fibre bodywork to be cheap to fix. Speaking of, the Valiant’s brutish looks are made with maximal aerodynamics in mind, helping it cut through the air. Most notable are the aero-disc wheels, alongside the aggressive rear diffuser, and gigantic rear wing. There’s no shortage of drama inside the Valiant too, with its exposed transmission tunnel, roll cage, bucket seats, and a 4-point harness. Suffice it to say, the Valiant is my new favourite Aston Martin model yet.
