Valiant ‘most hardcore’ road-legal Aston Martin yet

ASTON MARTIN has revealed its most hardcore road-going model ever, offering a Valour-based model called the Valiant, born from a one-off commission by the firm’s own Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso.

 

The manufacturer says it will debut the limited-edition Valiant at Goodwood Festival of Speed on 12 July, with Alonso set to wheel it up the famous hill climb course, just days after competing in the British GP, for a ‘demonstration’ that is sure to thrill.

 

As the story goes, the two-time Formula One World Champion went to Aston Martin’s bespoke ‘Q’ division for a one-off commission based on the already-exclusive Valour, which itself commemorates 110 years of the brand.

 

The resulting creation is a Valour with more power, more downforce, less weight and a new name. According to Aston Martin, the Valiant is officially the most extreme front-engined, road-legal car it has ever built.

 

Clearly impressed with what Alonso and the Q division cooked up, Aston Martin has decided to offer the Valiant as an ultra-exclusive, limited-numbers special edition, with a production run of just 38 units.

 

“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,” said Mr Alonso.

 

“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.”

 

The 38 Valiant models to be produced, all of which are fully allocated, will be delivered from Q4 this year, with one of course going to Alonso himself, likely the most competent of the 38 owners-to-be behind the wheel.

 

At the heart of the Valiant is Aston Martin’s 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12, now producing 547kW/753Nm against the slightly less manic Valour’s 525kW/752Nm, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

 

Changes were also made to the chassis, including multimatic ASV dampers and recalibrated electronics to enhance the Valiant’s track prowess, while extensive use of carbon-fibre and improved aero reduces weight and enhances downforce.

 

The styling, testament to Mr Alonso’s taste in cars, pays homage to Aston Martin’s iconic 1970 DBS V8 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer – capable of nearly 200mph down Mulsanne Straight in its day.

 

Apparently, the name Muncher described how quickly the DBS consumed brake discs.

 

“Valiant is a modern masterpiece,” said Aston Martin global chief brand and commercial officer Marco Mattiacci.

 

“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.

 

“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.”