Aston Martin has announced that it is to produce an “extreme” road-legal version of its Valour sporstcar, dubbed the Aston Martin Valiant, personally commissioned by F1 legend Fernando Alonso.
Alonso made an instant impact at Aston Martin after joining the team ahead of the F1 2023 season, claiming a total of eight podium finishes across his first year at the Silverstone-based outfit.
Aston Martin Valiant: Fernando Alonso’s brainchild
Aston Martin announced earlier this year that the two-time World Champion had signed a new multi-year contract with the team until at least the end of the F1 2026 season – by which time he will be 45 – with Alonso describing the deal as a “lifetime project” that will “keep me linked with Aston for many, many years to come.”
The Aston Martin Valiant is being produced by the company’s Q division, which allows owners to design the appearance of their cars.
In a statement, Alonso said: “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 [the] road.
“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.”
What is the Aston Martin Valiant?
Aston Martin announced the birth of the Aston Martin Valiant on June 26 2024, with the car originally commissioned by Alonso in collaboration with the manufacturer’s bespoke Q division.
Alonso challenged Aston Martin to create a lighter, more extreme, motorsport-inspired version of the special-edition Valour produced to mark the marque’s 110th anniversary in 2023, which was in turn based on the DBS model.
It is the second supercar to be directly influenced by Alonso after the two-time World Champion’s former employers Alpine – with whom he won both his F1 World Championships in 2005/06 – announced the production of the Alpine A110 R Fernando Alonso in October 2022.
Although it was only revealed after Alonso announced that he was leaving for Aston Martin, Alpine pressed on with plans to produce 32 versions of the car, the number chosen to reflect the amount of grand prix victories achieved by Alonso.
What do we know about the technical specification of the Aston Martin Valiant?
The Aston Martin Valiant is described as “the most extreme front-engine road car ever built by Aston Martin” with “everything it knows learnt from the track.”
It is equipped with a 5.2-litre, twin-turbocharged V12 engine with a six-speed manual transmission – producing a colossal 745bhp – fade-free carbon ceramic brakes, and a quad-pipe titanium exhaust system.
Marco Mattiacci, Aston Martin’s global brand chief who previously spent a brief spell as Alonso’s team principal at Ferrari in 2014, has remarked that the car has been treated to an “obsessive weight-reduction” program and it is in this area of “motorsport-grade lightweighting” where the Valiant excels.
The tricks to reduce weight include the use of a 3D-printed rear subframe, which is claimed to shave off 3kg with no impact on stiffness, as well as a magnesium torque tube that removes 8.6kg from the centre of the car.
With a lithium ion battery saving 11kg, and 21-inch magnesium wheels recouping 14kg, the overall weight loss compared to the Valour is thought to be in the region of 100kg.
The bodywork of the Valiant has been sculpted in carbon fibre, styled to improve downforce while reducing drag, with the car’s wheelcovers inspired by the Aston Martin ‘Muncher’ car that raced in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race in 1979.
The car is also fitted with state-of-the-art Multimatic dampers, which can adjust to any one of 32 settings in six milliseconds.
Inside, the two-seater prioritises functionality over performance with large areas of exposed carbon fibre, a built-in steel half cage and racing-style seats fitted with four-point harnesses.
A new, circular steering wheel with a slimmer frame has been fitted and has been stripped of all switches to enhance the connection between car and driver.
The piste de resistance? A large cutaway in the transmission tunnel, exposing the gear linkage.
How many will be made and how much will the Aston Martin Valiant cost?
Aston Martin has not disclosed how much the Valiant will cost, but it is thought to be worth in the region of $2.56million.
The manufacturer has confirmed that 38 Valiants will be sold, with high levels of customisation expected.
When can I see the Aston Martin Valiant for real?
The Aston Martin Valiant will make its first public appearance at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed event on July 11-14.
Alonso himself will be behind the wheel, demonstrating the Valiant’s performance on Goodwood’s fan-favourite Hillclimb course.
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