RISE OF THE ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE

DUE TO various regulations, carmakers can never make a truly uncompromised track car that’s also road legal, but Aston Martin has found a way around that challenge for its upcoming Valkyrie hypercar.

Enter the AMR Track Performance Pack, consisting of track-only components that can be interchanged with the road-legal parts that the car comes with, and which can improve lap times by around 8%, according to Aston Martin.

The optional package comprises an aerodynamic front clam that improves downforce as well as a second set of exterior body panels, titanium brakes, trackhoned suspension components and special wheels and carbon-fibre aero-disks.

The Valkyrie’s lucky customers - there will only be 150 of them - will also get to choose between three AMR livery designs or their own unique finish.

And, an array of race suit and pit garage accessories is also available for those wanting to go the whole hog.

Even those not planning to take their hypercar to the track can choose between an almost boundless array of personalisation options through ‘Q by Aston Martin - Commission’.

Here, owners are invited to work with the Aston Martin Design team to refine their specification. There’s even a Gold Pack that features 24-carat gold leaf livery laid beneath the paint lacquer.

“This is simply the best car in the world if you want something bespoke and we are really pushing the boundaries to match the dreams of our customers,” says Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman.

“Every single element of this hypercar, including its performance, can be personalised. The materials are very much about science, the art of creativity and the ability to create a unique solution that doesn’t detract from this exceptional car’s performance capability”.

And that part is rather extreme.

The Valkyrie is powered by a 6.5-litre V12 engine that screams to 11 500rpm. Maximum power output of 745.7kW is produced at 10 500 revs, while peak torque of 740Nm is produced ‘lower’ down at 7000.

But that’s just the internal combustion side of things, because Aston Martin says the Valkyrie will be further boosted by a battery hybrid system, which will be detailed at a later stage.

Aston Martin is quoting $3.2-million, or R44.4-million in our money. Just in time too, if you’ve won the Powerball recently.