VALIANT: LIMITED EDITION ASTON MARTIN BY FERNANDO ALONSO
Aston Martin is proud to announce Valiant; an ultra-exclusive track-focused, road-legal special edition of extraordinary rarity, presence, and potency and is the latest in a long line of extraordinary projects expertly handled by in-house bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin.
Powered by a 745PS Twin Turbo 5.2-litre V12 mated to a six-speed manual transmission, Valiant embodies Aston Martin’s commitment to building pure driver’s cars.
Production is strictly limited to just 38 cars globally with all fully allocated. Valiant was originally conceived from a personal commission from Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team driver, Fernando Alonso for a lightweight, more extreme, race car-inspired version of the spectacular, Aston Martin Valour. Following the commission and taking inspiration from Fernando’s 23-year career in Formula 1® and his passion for driving at the limit, Valiant was born, as a strictly limited-edition special that has been carefully designed and crafted by the experts in Aston Martin’s bespoke division: Q by Aston Martin. Aspiring to offer the ultimate in bespoke personalisation services, Q by Aston Martin delivers both carefully curated special editions such as Valiant and Valour, as well as the opportunity for individual owners to embark on the creation of utterly individual sports cars like Victor.
Valiant continues a strong lineage of Aston Martins that deliver true driving intensity both on-road and on-track with the ultimate hypercar, Valkyrie, the brand’s most focused sports car, Vantage and its brother in speed, the Vantage GT3 race car, and of course the upcoming mid-engine supercar, Valhalla. While both Valour and Valiant take inspiration from the brand’s iconic heritage in their design, they sit firmly in Aston Martin’s modern performance future delivering class-leading power, driving dynamics, and cutting-edge technology, ensuring Aston Martin’s appeal to true driving connoisseurs.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team driver 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 focussed, while also delivering a thrilling drive on-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.”
Combining the brutal style and blistering performance of a bygone evocative era of brutal V12 performance with state-of-the-art contemporary engineering, lightweight materials, and spectacular design, Valiant pushes the boundaries of performance and engagement to evolve, intensify, and reimagine the ultimate Aston Martin driver’s car. One born to thrive on the racetrack and thrill on the road.
As the new pinnacle of ferocious front-engined Aston Martin limited edition specials, Valiant has been developed to deliver its best on-track, while remaining fully homologated for road use. It boasts an exotic specification to delight the purist and excite the most demanding driver. Crowned by the combination of Aston Martin’s incredible twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 engine – which now develops 745PS and 753Nm of torque – and six-speed manual transmission, Valiant also features standard-fit Carbon Ceramic brakes measuring 410mm x 38mm front and 360mm x 32mm rear for immense fade-free stopping power.
Valiant features a number of unique engineering highlights to reduce weight and dial in the chassis for serious track use. The adoption of a 3D-printed rear subframe saves 3kg with no reduction in stiffness, while a magnesium torque tube reduces mass at the centre point of the car by 8.6kg. Lightweight 21” magnesium wheels – with 275/35 front and 325/30 rear tyres – improve steering response and wheel control, reducing unsprung mass by 14kg. A motorsport-spec lithium-ion battery has been fitted to save a further 11.5kg.
Aggressive, extreme and unambiguous, Valiant’s dramatic bodywork makes an explicit statement of intent. Through use of extensive lightweight carbon fibre, the evocative profile speaks of a truly heavyweight punch. Broad and muscular with sharply chiseled features shaped to generate stability enhancing downforce and minimize speed-sapping drag. Every inch of the Valiant’s immaculately sculpted form serves an aesthetic and aerodynamic function.
Amongst Valiant’s most distinctive functional features are its heavily scalloped side fenders and carbon fibre aero discs fitted to the 21” Magnesium wheels. Working in harmony with the front splitter end planes, the broad side sills and upswept vortex generators located ahead of the rear wheels smooth airflow along the flanks, reducing turbulence, drag and lift.
Inspired by wheel covers fitted to the legendary 1980 RHAM/1 ‘Muncher’ Le Mans racer and attached directly to the lightweight forged magnesium wheels, the aero discs reduce turbulence and drag created by the rotating wheels. In addition, six strategically placed inlets draw cooling air onto the carbon ceramic brakes to maintain optimum braking performance during track use, with apertures around the circumference of the wheel allowing the extreme heat generated by the carbon ceramic discs to vent.
Valiant’s rear-end design is equally effective and dramatic, with the sharp Kamm tail and boldly upswept deck lid topped by a prominent fixed wing. Shaped to balance downforce gains made by the front splitter and styled to leave no doubt as to Valiant’s performance capabilities, it is one of many unmistakable design signatures. A fixed, one-piece clamshell rear, features a hinged rear screen panel, allowing access to a load space perfect for the storage of race helmets and race clothing.
Describing Valiant’s aggressive look, Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, said: “Valiant is an extrovert. One look leaves you in no doubt of its intentions. A true thoroughbred aimed at being enjoyed to the full on a racetrack, yet still useable on the road, it takes clear inspiration from motorsport, expressing its character through dramatic, muscular form and a plethora of beautiful, functional details. Amongst these are aero disc wheel covers, which are a nod to the mighty ‘Muncher’ Le Man’s car, and a quartet of large diameter titanium exhaust pipes which honour the internal combustion and celebrate the soundtrack of Aston Martin’s magnificent V12”.
While first deliveries are due to commence in Q4 2024, Valiant will make its public debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 11-14) with dynamic demonstrations on the famous Hill Climb course. One of the demonstration runs will be in the hands of Valiant’s first customer; two-time Formula One® World Champion and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team driver, Fernando Alonso.
