Project 001 was the insane Valkyrie. Project 002 was the Valkyrie AMR Pro. And now Aston Martin has confirmed that it's got a Project 003 in the pipeline as well – a mid-engined hypercar using a turbo gasoline/electric hybrid powertrain that's said to "offer more practical concessions to road use."
The turbo gasoline/electric hybrid powertrain makes sense. The Valkyrie's snarling 6.5-liter, V12 engine is an absolutely epic piece of Cosworth engineering that jumps through all kinds of hoops to extract more than 1,000 horsepower without resorting to forced induction. The Valkyrie aims to be the absolute apotheosis of the screaming, naturally aspirated hypercar in an age where most pukka performance engines make their power through noise-deadening turbo spools.
Project 003 is very much inspired by the hyper-aerodynamic alien design of the Valkyrie (above)
Project 003, however, is ready to lean in and take advantage of the power, efficiency and emissions bonuses turbocharging can offer, even if you do lose some of that hair-raising soundtrack to your drive. And, like the Valkyrie, it's also a hybrid.
Turbos and electrics make excellent engine bay-fellows in a performance car, each making up for the deficiencies of the other. The instant, always-available torque of the electric motors can give you outstanding launch speeds off the line as the turbos spin up to deliver a rush of top-end speed where the electrics start to trail off.
Very much inspired by the hyper-aerodynamic alien design of the Valkyrie, 003 is designed to be "a direct descendent" ready to "set new standards within its own segment of the hypercar market." Apparently, while we weren't looking, somebody has gone and put segments in the hypercar market. Cheeky.
What else do we know? Well, it'll have a lightweight chassis, naturally. Active aerodynamics for those rare times when you'll have enough straight road to go fast enough to engage them. Active suspension, too, as well as "space for luggage."
Details and further images will trickle out over the next few years as we await a 2021 launch date. Aston Martin says 500 coupes will be made (will there be a drop-top, then?) and they'll be homologated for "all markets" with left and right-hand drive examples available.
Source: Aston Martin
Project 001 was the insane Valkyrie. Project 002 was the Valkyrie AMR Pro. And now Aston Martin has confirmed that it's got a Project 003 in the pipeline as well – a mid-engined hypercar using a turbo gasoline/electric hybrid powertrain that's said to "offer more practical concessions to road use."
The turbo gasoline/electric hybrid powertrain makes sense. The Valkyrie's snarling 6.5-liter, V12 engine is an absolutely epic piece of Cosworth engineering that jumps through all kinds of hoops to extract more than 1,000 horsepower without resorting to forced induction. The Valkyrie aims to be the absolute apotheosis of the screaming, naturally aspirated hypercar in an age where most pukka performance engines make their power through noise-deadening turbo spools.
Project 003 is very much inspired by the hyper-aerodynamic alien design of the Valkyrie (above)
Project 003, however, is ready to lean in and take advantage of the power, efficiency and emissions bonuses turbocharging can offer, even if you do lose some of that hair-raising soundtrack to your drive. And, like the Valkyrie, it's also a hybrid.
Turbos and electrics make excellent engine bay-fellows in a performance car, each making up for the deficiencies of the other. The instant, always-available torque of the electric motors can give you outstanding launch speeds off the line as the turbos spin up to deliver a rush of top-end speed where the electrics start to trail off.
Very much inspired by the hyper-aerodynamic alien design of the Valkyrie, 003 is designed to be "a direct descendent" ready to "set new standards within its own segment of the hypercar market." Apparently, while we weren't looking, somebody has gone and put segments in the hypercar market. Cheeky.
What else do we know? Well, it'll have a lightweight chassis, naturally. Active aerodynamics for those rare times when you'll have enough straight road to go fast enough to engage them. Active suspension, too, as well as "space for luggage."
Details and further images will trickle out over the next few years as we await a 2021 launch date. Aston Martin says 500 coupes will be made (will there be a drop-top, then?) and they'll be homologated for "all markets" with left and right-hand drive examples available.
Source: Aston Martin
