Back in 2016, Aston Martin unveiled its outrageous Valkyrie hypercar. The British automaker has now given it a removable roof, the result being "the fastest and most extreme open-top, road-legal Aston Martin ever built."
The new limited-edition Valkyrie Spider sports the same hybrid 6.5-liter V12 powertrain as its coupe counterpart. It also retains the twin Venturi tunnels that run along the underside of the car on either side of the cockpit. These draw "huge quantities" of air beneath the automobile and into the rear diffuser, generating a downforce of up to 1,400 kg (3,086 lb) at 240 km/h (149 mph) when in Track mode.
Designed to offer an F1-like driving experience, the Spider has a claimed top speed of over 330 km/h (205 mph) with the roof off, although that figure jumps to 350 km/h (217 mph) with the roof on. No figures on acceleration have been provided.
The removable roof consists of a carbon fiber central panel, along with a pair of hinged polycarbonate windows on either side. It latches to the cockpit tub in the rear and the windshield surround in the front, and is reportedly easily removed once the doors have been opened. In order to accommodate this functionality, those doors are now hinged in front, allowing them to tilt forward. By contrast, the "old" Valkyrie is equipped with gullwing doors.
Other changes from the original include revisions to the carbon fiber body, along with recalibration of both the active aerodynamic and active chassis systems. The cockpit remains the same, offering features such as a six-point safety harness, and displays that show the output from a rearview camera and from front and rear parking-assist sensors.
Just 85 of the Valkyrie Spiders are being built, all of which have been spoken for already. Deliveries to the no-doubt deep-pocketed buyers should begin in the second half of next year. One of the cars is currently on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey, California.
Source: Aston Martin