A little over a month ago, Aston Martin was happy to announce the start of series production of the Valkyrie, its mid-engined electrified hypercar it first unveiled as a concept back in mid-2016. As it turns out, the problems are not over yet for Gaydon’s flagship model as, despite multiple delays, a new issue has emerged.

Automotive News Europe has learned from people close to the British high-end automaker the engineers are currently facing “electronics issues,” even though production started on November 4. None of the finished cars have been delivered to their rightful owners, who have been patiently waiting for years to hop behind the wheel of the track-focused coupe.

Aston Martin has released a statement in an e-mail, saying “the first customer car has completed its shakedown, with documentation now being prepared for delivery in the next few days.” The 1,140-horsepower hybrid beast with its Cosworth V12 will be sent to its owner “without any compromises” and production of the sold-out hypercar continues “at pace.”

A total of 150 coupes will be assembled, plus 85 examples of the Spider body style introduced in August. Customer deliveries of the open-top derivative are not scheduled to commence until the latter half of next year.

The Valkyrie will be followed by not one, but two high-performance machines, both of which are expected to employ a hybrid powertrain. The new Valhalla will use an AMG-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 gasoline engine working together with a pair of turbochargers and dual electric motors for a combined output of 937 hp.

In addition, the Vanquish is coming back, though details about the third amped-up coupe have not been disclosed.

Meanwhile, Aston Martin recently introduce a mild-hybrid DBX in China and is preparing to launch a different hybrid version of the popular luxury SUV in other parts of the world. The DB11 and Vantage successors have already been confirmed as EVs, while an electric SUV is also on the agenda.

Source: Automotive News Europe

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That said, we do have all the technical information available along with pictures obtained from the online configurator that has been revised to include the hybrid DBX. As expected, the SUV from Gaydon borrows the inline-six, 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine from AMG, which has also been the case for the conventionally powered V8 model.

The second version of the DBX adapts the EQ Boost technology from Mercedes’ performance division, specifically the 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Officially known in China as the Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six, the vehicle offers an identical output of 429 horsepower (320 kilowatts) and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-meters) as you’ll find in the AMG CLS 53 or the AMG E53.

With the hybridized straight-six engine, the DBX needs 5.4 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill and can reach a maximum speed of 161 mph (259 km/h). For the sake of comparison, the more powerful V8 does the sprint in only 4.5 seconds and tops out at 181 mph (291 km/h). Although there is a significant difference between the two in terms of performance, we wouldn’t necessarily call the six-cylinder model a slouch since it still delivers more than adequate oomph for a large and heavy luxury SUV.

The similarities between the Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six and the AMG 53 models don’t end here since the British luxury SUV also uses a nine-speed automatic transmission as the performance cars from Affalterbach. The automaker’s first SUV boasts an electronic limited-slip differential at the rear axle combined with a conventional differential at the front. Needless to say, the vehicle comes with all-wheel drive as you’ll find in the sporty cars carrying the three-pointed star.

There are no immediately noticeable differences in terms of design, although there is a Straight Six badge adorning the front fenders. It rides as standard on 21-inch alloy wheels and can be had in a vast array of colors for the body along with plenty of combinations inside the lavish cabin where there are many trims to choose from and lots of optional features.

Aston Martin has already announced the DBX Straight-Six will be a China-only affair, but the SUV sold globally will spawn several derivatives, including a PHEV and a more potent variant. The electrified model is needed in the country where taxes for vehicles with large-displacement engines are extremely high, thus making the V8 out of reach.

Source: Aston Martin China

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We won’t have to wait much longer to see the DBX Hybrid as the world premiere will take place on November 13 ahead of a potential public debut at the Auto Guangzhou later this month. Why is the electrified SUV being teased in China? Because it’s an important market for Aston Martin and it also happens to be a country where taxes on vehicles with large-displacement engines are extremely high.

The reason why we are bringing this up is that the DBX has only been offered so far with a twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 engine, so an inline-six will make the SUV more affordable not just in terms of the asking price, but also as far as taxes. Since we mentioned the V8, it should be noted Aston Martin borrows the engine from Mercedes, specifically its AMG performance division.

The inline-six is also expected to come from the Affalterbach company and should have a lot in common with the 3.0-liter mild-hybrid system AMG is using in a variety of cars badged with “53.” Take for example the CLS 53 where the straight-six unit benefits from a 48-volt, hybrid-assist setup dubbed “EQ Boost.” The same tech will probably be implemented in the eco-friendly DBX, which should offer similar power figures.

For those unfamiliar with the AMG CLS 53, its combustion engine is good for 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-meters) of torque while the mild-hybrid setup adds another 21 hp and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm). It remains to be seen whether Aston Martin’s engineers have tweaked the electrified inline-six setup for the DBX or it’s going to be carried over.

We should have a solution to this puzzle tomorrow when the DBX Hybrid is programmed to break cover in China. Logic tells us the Gaydon-based marque will sell the model in other markets from 2022, including the United States and Europe. In the long run, Aston Martin will replace the DB11 and Vantage sports cars with EVs, while a fully electric SUV is also in the works – with all likely arriving after the DBX PHEV.

Source: Aston Martin / Weibo

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The coupe will be joined by a Spider version as well as a hardcore AMR Pro restricted to the track. The road-going models will utilize a Cosworth-developed 6.5-liter V12, a naturally aspirated gasoline engine revving up to 11,000 rpm. The combustion engine is going to work together with an electric motor developed by Rimac to form a hybrid setup good for an astounding 1,140 horsepower (850 kilowatts).

It’s far from being the first hybrid hypercar as the “Holy Trinity” consisting of the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 Spyders all had electrified powertrains in the early 2010s, but Aston Martin is taking the technology to new heights. The mid-engined machine will have to go up against another hybrid hypercar, the Mercedes-AMG One due in 2022 with an electrified setup borrowed from Lewis Hamilton’s championship-winning Formula 1 car.

The Gaydon-based automaker will follow up on the Valkyrie with another hybrid offering, this time around a more affordable Valhalla supercar featuring a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 borrowed from AMG and teamed up with dual electric motors. It will have a combined output of 937 hp (699 kW), which is not that far off compared to the V12 flagship.

But wait, there’s more. A third performance machine, which will revive the Vanquish moniker, is also in the works and likely to feature a hybrid configuration as well since this is where the industry is heading. As with other automakers, Aston Martin is channeling its efforts towards hybrids and EVs to prepare for the inevitable death of the combustion engine.

Source: Aston Martin

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It keeps the achingly gorgeous body of the donor car but swaps out the straight-six 4.0-liter gasoline engine in favor of an electric motor. Various battery packs in sizes ranging from 80 to 120 kWh are available, with the latter providing enough juice for a maximum range of 255 miles (410 kilometers). As with previous Lunaz projects, the DB6 EV is engineered to support Combined Charging System (CCS).

Aside from yanking out the oily bits to replace them with a purely electric setup, Lunaz has also thoroughly updated the coupe’s suspension, brakes, and steering to keep up with the times. The same goes for the interior cabin where there’s everything from air conditioning to an infotainment system with Wi-Fi connectivity.

As you would expect, such a conversion doesn’t come cheap. Lunaz is asking a cool $1 million before taxes and is already taking orders. The first customer deliveries of the electric DB6 are scheduled to take place in the third quarter of 2023. Every single car undergoes a bare metal restoration thanks to a team of over 100 engineers, restoration specialists, and craftspeople, many of which were previously employed at Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, Ferrari, Land Rover, Bentley, Aston Martin, and even in Formula 1.

The Aston Martin DB6 is not the first classic car to receive the EV treatment from Lunaz as the British firm has also worked on zero-emission conversions for the Jaguar XK120, the original Bentley Continental, and the Range Rover Mk1. Over the years, the company has received major investments from Barclay, Reuben, and Dallal families, as well as David Beckham. All the conversions are conducted at the 62,000-square-feet headquarters on the Silverstone Technology Park.

Lunaz says the DB6 will have a limited production run and owners of the DB4 and DB5 are also invited to switch from gasoline to EV, but those two older models have “highly limited build slots,” so time is running out.

Source: Lunaz

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Co-developed with Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT) to benefit from its vast Formula 1 expertise, the new Valkyrie Spider features a removable roof panel and swaps out the coupe’s gullwing doors for dihedral doors. It retains the hybrid powertrain of the regular model, based around a Cosworth-developed naturally aspirated V12. The 6.5-liter combustion engine and electric motor work harmoniously to develop a massive combined output of 1,140 horsepower.

The gasoline engine revs to over 11,000 rpm while the electric motor has been developed by Rimac to provide an extra boost and complement the V12. The hybrid system helps the Valkyrie Spider reach a top speed of 350 km/h (218 mph) with the roof in place, while removing the top lowers the maximum velocity to 330 km/h (205 mph).

Aston Martin has engineered the droptop version with a pair of polycarbonate roof windows that can be easily removed after opening the doors, which lift forwards and were purpose-built for the Valkyrie Spider. The electrified hypercar is marginally heavier and nearly as sleek as the coupe as two main focuses during development were to keep the weight and aerodynamic penalties down to a minimum.

Only 85 units are planned for production and Aston Martin says its fastest and most powerful road-going convertible will be sold in both left- and right-hand-drive configurations. Customer deliveries are going to begin in the second half of 2022, and interested parties will be able to place their orders in the near future.

The British high-end brand claims the Valkyrie Spider is already a commercial hit as the company has more early adopters than the entire production run, with allocations to begin shortly. On display at Pebble Beach in Monterey, California until Sunday, the ultra-fast convertible will be shown only based on invitation.

Source: Aston Martin

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While the car’s identity has not been disclosed, the adjacent teaser image seemingly indicates we are dealing with a roadster version of the Valkyrie, Aston Martin’s flagship model. The hybrid hypercar has gullwing doors in the coupe body style, but this image shows the Valkyrie with scissor doors – a change in layout usually associated when an automaker transforms a sports coupe into a convertible.

It is unclear at this point whether Aston Martin has developed the Valkyrie Roadster with a removable top or the hypercar will come exclusively without a roof. If it does have a top, it’s likely a manually removable targa panel since there doesn’t seem to be any space in the back to fold down a soft roof, let alone a hardtop.

Aside from the different roof setup, the Valkyrie Roadster should be mechanically identical to the coupe. Its heart and soul will be a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine developed by Cosworth working together with a hybrid system. The combined output will stand at a staggering 1,160 horsepower (865 kilowatts) and 900 Newton-meters (664 pound-feet) of torque.

The electric motor has been developed by Rimac and develops 160 hp and 207 lb-ft on its own while the internal combustion engine – which revs up to 10,500 rpm – does the heavy lifting by pumping out 1,000 hp and 546 lb-ft.

The Valkyrie coupe and roadster will be complemented by a track-only AMR Pro derivative without the electrical assistance, meaning its powertrain will deliver “only” 1,000 hp.

Aston Martin plans to take the wraps off the Valkyrie roadster on August 12 during a private VIP event at the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. A day later, it will be available to view at the Aston Martin Club 1913, by invitation.

Source: Aston Martin

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The reveal was made in an interview with Automotive News Europe during which the former AMG chief said 2025 will be the year when Aston Martin will introduce its first pure EV. It will be a sports car to replace one of the two models mentioned earlier, with a zero-emissions SUV to follow likely in 2026. Meanwhile, the British brand is working on a third performance car to join the Valkyrie and Valhalla, with the Vanquish slotting at the bottom to adopt a hybrid setup as well.

While talking with ANE, Tobias Moers said “The succession of our traditional sports segment has to be full electric, no doubt.” That’s not all too surprising seeing as how Aston Martin has already vowed to electrify 90% of its lineup by the end of the decade. It’s too early to talk about the technical specifications of Aston Martin EVs, but Moers did promise these will have a maximum range of at least 372 miles (600 kilometers), presumably based on the WLTP cycle.

Some will remember the Rapide E was originally set to become the first electric car from Aston Martin, but the firm ultimately pulled the plug on the sedan. The same thing happened with the exclusively electric Lagonda sub-brand, which never materialized. These decisions were taken shortly after Lawrence Stroll was appointed executive chairman and became a major stakeholder.

The adoption of all-electric powertrains means the writing is on the wall for Aston Martin’s iconic V12 engine, and the same thing can be said about the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine the company borrows from Mercedes-AMG. These ICEs still have a few years left in them, but it’s pretty obvious AM is heading towards an EV-exclusive future.

Source: Automotive News Europe

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Interestingly, the mid-engined supercar from Gaydon was also originally conceived with a six-cylinder, but the road-going model will utilize a bigger combustion engine. Aston Martin is working on a separate V6 hybrid supercar to rival the Artura and 296 GTB, but in the meantime, the Valhalla is making the headlines with its stunning design and remarkable technical specifications.

While the combustion engine drives the rear wheels, there’s an electric motor for each axle, contributing to a combined output of 937 horsepower and a massive 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft). The PHEV setup enables the Valhalla to complete the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in 2.5 seconds en route to 217 mph (330 km/h). It has a much lower top speed in electric mode as Aston Martin limits the vehicle to only 80 mph (130 km/h).

Even though it’s a plug-in hybrid, the Valhalla is not exactly the most efficient PHEV out there. It only does 9 miles (15 kilometers) in the fully electric mode based on the WLTP cycle. That said, Aston Martin claims it emits fewer than 200 g/km in the combined cycle, which isn’t half bad given the performance delivered by the electrified powertrain.

When EV mode is activated, the Valhalla becomes a front-wheel-drive car in the same vein as the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, seen as one of its main competitors. Even the reverse gear is fully electric to cut weight by getting rid of the traditional reverse gear, helping Aston Martin’s engineers to limit the vehicle’s dry weight to 1,550 kg (3,417 lbs).

The relatively low weight and massive output delivered by the PHEV setup should enable the electrified supercar to lap the Nürburgring in 6:30, according to the Gaydon-based automaker. That time would make the Valhalla the fastest street-legal production car at the challenging Green Hell, besting the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series and the Porsche 911 GT2 by Manthey.

Aston Martin’s latest creation is a technological tour de force as it uses a newly developed dual-clutch, automatic transmission with eight gears. The DCT is a first for the boutique brand and incorporates a rear electronic limited-slip differential for better handling and traction. The changes made to the body over the initial 2019 version allow the Valhalla to produce 600 kg (1,322 lb) of downforce at 150 mph (241 km/h) thanks to the use of active aero elements.

It rides on 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels wrapped in bespoke Michelin tires, backed by carbon-ceramic brakes utilizing brake-by-wire tech for superior stopping power. The swoopy shape houses a carbon-fiber tub and an F1-styled push rod front suspension combined with a multi-link rear setup. As with most modern supercars, there’s a front axle lift system to boost the approach angle.

Valhalla serves as the midlevel performance car in Aston Martin’s portfolio, positioned between the flagship Valkyrie and the upcoming Vanquish.

Source: Aston Martin

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In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll provided additional details about how it plans to prepare the fabled brand for an electric future. In 2025, a zero-emissions SUV will enter production at the factory in St Athan, Wales and it will be complemented the same year by a purely electric sports due to be built at home in Gaydon, UK.

Aston Martin’s largest shareholder went on to say AMG could be chosen as the battery provider but mentioned the company he’s running is currently keeping its options open. Mercedes’ performance division has a 20-percent share in the British brand and supplies the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 along with other components, including an older infotainment system used by previous Mercedes and AMG models.

Stroll, who has a 22% stake in Aston Martin, revealed to the Financial Times an updated version of the DBX SUV pictured here will be released later this year with a mild-hybrid powertrain. The other members of the lineup are bound to be electrified as well, while the upcoming Valkyrie hypercar and Valhalla supercar will both employ hybrid setups.

Details about the fully electric vehicles coming in 2025 are limited at this point, although Stroll did refer to the sports car as a “front-engine version of a DB11/Vantage” while the other will be a taller SUV with all-wheel drive.  Aston Martin is currently designing the two EVs and it’s unclear at this point whether they’ll carry the DB prefix (from David Brown) that has been in use for more than 70 years.

For the time being, Stroll only says the electric Aston Martin models will have “our beautiful body, our suspension, our vehicle dynamics [and] our bespoke interiors.” In other words, they’ll be significantly different than mechanically related Mercedes-AMG models from which the sports car and SUV are expected to borrow some bits and pieces.

Source: Financial Times (subscription required)

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