Aston Martin has unveiled its most audacious road car yet, with the hyper-exclusive Valiant, but it’s only building 38 of them.
The limited-edition powerhouse, born out of a collaboration with the manufacturer’s own Formula One driver, Fernando Alonso, is set to make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 12th.
Alonso, a two-time Formula One World Champion and man of impeccable taste (clearly), approached Aston Martin’s bespoke ‘Q’ division with a vision for a unique, track-focused iteration of the already potent Valour model. The result was the Valiant, a machine that pushes the boundaries of performance and design – even for Aston.
As it turned out, Alonso’s creation – originally intended as a one-off – was so outrageously good that Aston Martin decided to produce another 37 examples. All 38 have been allocated, of course.
Aston Martin has made it clear that the Valiant is the most extreme front-engined, road-legal car it has ever produced, and is not for the faint of heart. With enhanced power, increased downforce, and reduced weight, compared with the Valour it’s based on, the Valiant promises a driving experience fit for a Formula One world champion.
“Valour was a spectacular celebration of Aston Martin’s 110th anniversary and stirred me to create a more extreme, race car inspired version that was track-focused, while also delivering a thrilling drive on-road,” Alonso says. “Valiant is born from my passion for driving at the limit and I have enjoyed working closely with the Q by Aston Martin team on both the design and technical specification and believe we have created a masterpiece.”
Propulsion and noise – both equally important elements – are provided by Aston Martin’s venerable 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, although it’s been fettled to produce increased outputs of 547kW/753Nm. The only transmission option is a six-speed manual, too, so a third pedal is non negotiable.
Lashings of carbon fibre across the body, magnesium wheels and aerodynamic features typically reserved for racers, together reduce chassis weight and increase performance.
The Valiant’s allure extends beyond its performance, though, featuring a design that pays homage to Aston Martin’s iconic 1970 DBS V8 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer – a machine famed for its brutish aesthetics and savage straight-line performance.
Visually, the Valiant is undoubtedly paired back, but the functional design approach has resulted in one of the most aggressively-styled Aston Martin models in history – and we’re here for it. Like exposed gears on a watch, Aston Martin even opted for a cutout in the transmission tunnel, exposing a shift linkage that runs all the way from the shifter to the six-speed transaxle up back.
Aston Martin Global Chief Brand and Commercial Officer, Marco Mattiacci, hailed the Valiant a “modern masterpiece,” and it’s hard to disagree with his assessment.
“A creation of Q by Aston Martin, inspired by a racing legend and conceived using the latest F1-inspired technology, exotic materials and obsessive weight reduction,” Mattiacci says. “The ultimate blend of performance, track-focused dynamics and hypercar intensity, Valiant embodies Aston Martin’s determined commitment to build rare and extraordinary cars for true drivers.”
With its breathtaking design, exhilarating performance, and hyper-exclusive production run, the Aston Martin Valiant is likely to become a coveted collector’s item and one of the brand’s cult heroes. At least we think so.
