Aston Martin has announced that it will no longer develop a mainstream mid-engined supercar to rival the Ferrari 296 GTB. Instead, the company will focus on producing limited-run halo models, such as the Valkyrie and Valhalla.
The decision comes as Aston Martin looks to focus on profitability and exclusivity. The company’s chairman, Lawrence Stroll, said that “volume wasn’t important” and that Aston Martin would not make a “normal” mid-engine car.
The Valhalla is set to be limited to just 999 units and will be built around a carbon fiber monocoque. It will be powered by a turbocharged plug-in-hybrid V8 engine that produces more than 1,000 horsepower. This will allow the Valhalla to challenge the Ferrari SF90 Stradale for the fastest Nürburgring lap time.
The Valhalla is expected to be priced between £600,000 and £700,000. It is due to go on sale in 2023.
Stroll also revealed that Aston Martin is working on a new hypercar, codenamed AM-RB 004. This car is expected to be even more powerful and exclusive than the Valkyrie, with a production run of just 300 units.
The move to focus on limited-run halo models is a significant change of direction for Aston Martin. In recent years, the company has focused on producing high-volume sports cars, such as the Vantage and DB11. However, these cars have not been as profitable as the company had hoped.
The Valkyrie and Valhalla are both more expensive and exclusive than Aston Martin’s traditional sports cars. However, they are also more likely to be profitable. The Valkyrie is already sold out, and the Valhalla is expected to be in high demand.
Aston Martin’s new focus on profitability and exclusivity is a sign that the company is serious about its future. The company is hoping to become a more successful luxury brand, and it believes that limited-run halo models are the way to achieve this goal.
Source: Autocar
