Koenigsegg’s One:1 took the performance car world by storm in 2013 when it debuted with a power-to-weight ratio of 1:1, using the units of horsepower and kilograms.
If a new report proves accurate, the Valkyrie being developed by Aston Martin in partnership with the Red Bull Racing Formula One team may just set the bar higher—considerably higher—when it debuts in 2018.
Road & Track, citing a source familiar with the project, reports that the Valkyrie will have around 1,130 horsepower but weigh only 1,030 kilograms. That means the car will have a power-to-weight ratio of almost 1.1:1. That’s 1.1 horsepower for every 2.2 pounds of weight.
The power will be generated by a 6.5-liter V-12 working in concert with an electric motor. The V-12 alone is expected to produce 1,000 hp, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated engine of any production car. The remaining 130 hp will be added by the electric motor. Both power sources will drive the rear wheels only.
The design is quite different to Mercedes-AMG’s hypercar which will use an F1-spec 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 mated to an electric motor at the rear axle and two electric motors at the front axle for propulsion.
To get the Valkyrie's weight down to sub-Mazda MX-5 Miata levels, Aston Martin is stripping the car of almost all amenities while constructing it almost entirely of carbon fiber. Apparently the weight-saving measures even extend to the Aston Martin badge, said to be just a micron thick. The car will also swap out standard side mirrors for rear-facing cameras.
The final bit of information revealed by Road & Track’s source is that Aston Martin may end up debuting the Valkyrie at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans. The plan isn’t to show it on the sidelines of the race, however. Rather, Aston Martin wants it to take part in the opening lap!
