Starting at approximately $800,000, Aston Martin's new Valhalla will be the brand's first mid-engined super sports car since the ill-fated Bulldog about 40 years ago. Lest we forget, Bulldog-Aston Martin's angular wedge mid-engined car-is a one-off super sports car ahead of its time. Looks like the predecessor of DMC DeLorean, the Bulldog was almost a whisper in history until it recovered earlier this year. Now with Valhalla, Aston Martin has not given up its mid-engine dream. 

The stylish Valhalla is known as the "Son of Valkyrie" because it shares technology with his dad who is ready for the track, and is the result of a collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing. Originally called AM-RB 003 internally, it became Valhalla, which has the same naming convention as other Aston Martin "V" cars. Two of them (Vulcan and Vantage GT12) are led by Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's chief creative officer with 16 years of brand experience. Although his specialty is design, his focus on aerodynamics and engineering is evident in Valhalla.

Reichman told The Drive in a one-on-one interview in Austin that Valkryie set the tone for Aston Martin's current understanding of aerodynamics and language. They don't have to rush for success: in 108 years, the brand has produced only 100,000 cars, and each one has been carefully built. In comparison, Toyota produced 2 million cars in 2020 in the U.S. alone

"I like the interplay of scientific, engineering, aerodynamic suggestions and the aesthetic answers to that suggestion," Reichmann said. "An aerodynamicist saw a solution, and when we developed it, they would say to me,'I need to make a big hole in the side of the car to cool it down.' I would say,'Well, it can also be This shape, isn’t it? As long as I don’t interfere with the amount of air they need, and I can prove that the principle is still valid, we will get the beauty of a sports car or a racing car. This is the combination of engineering and design."

Valhalla's 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (after abandoning its original planned V6) purchased by Mercedes-AMG, paired with three electric motors, has a total power of close to 1,000 horsepower. The speed of this supercar will be ridiculously fast. It uses Michelin's special tire system, the rear 21-inch wheels and the front 20-inch wheels are covered with rubber, which is again inspired by ordinary Valkyrie and F1 car rakes. With this power, the science of downforce is essential to prevent Valhalla from flying into space instead of seizing the road on Earth.

"We said it will get a lap time of 6 minutes and 30 seconds at the Nürburgring, which is among the best in the competition," Reichman said.

You will recognize the carved Valhalla as an Aston Martin with a wing section on the top, which, together with the lower splitter, gives the design the feel of a biplane (matching the inverted physics). Combining form and function, the double wings help to remove all high-pressure air from the front of the car, help the downforce of the front and prevent lift.

Descend to a line of sight that is level with the waistline and look at the front wheel, and you will find that you can always see the wheel arch. In fact, the rear 60% of the wheel arches are opened to discharge high-pressure air and work in conjunction with the upper wing function. Fans and radiators are located at the front, driving high-pressure air through the cooling system. The car body is designed to allow air to be attached to the car from the rear to the rear of the car, forcing it directly into the main cooling ducts of the engine. The angular shark fin-shaped "winglets" guide the airflow to the rear of the car like a metal arrow. 

"Air hugged one side tightly and didn't let go," Reichman explained. "Normally, if you don't have this winglet, the air will overflow. The winglet guides the air to the side of the car to achieve a cooling effect."

The lower wing guides the airflow under the car, focusing on the stability of the road. After the air passes through the front, it separates again and diffuses at the back; along the way, air enters and exits through the beautifully designed gills. 

"It's like a surfboard on an F1 car; it keeps the car stable and attached to the ground," he explained, pointing to the side of the Hall of Valor. "Just like the high-pressure air in front produces lift, you have to exit the low-pressure air and turn it into high-pressure air to force the car down. The wings on the side separate the air and then shoot it out from the back. In fact, you are facing forward Sucking down, because the high-pressure air is released from the top, and then the high-pressure discharges, causing the car to squat down in the rear."

Unlike the previous model, the Valhalla has a fully deployed wing, which is raised about 240 mm to create a separation point for the airflow from the roof. The snorkel derived from the F1 project provides a clean air breathing tube for the V8. Unfortunately, this snorkel also poses a challenge: Although the mid-engined Valkyrie was built as a coupe and spider, Reichmann said that Valhalla "may not" be the next in the series. The model is provided as a convertible.

"Snorkels like this are very difficult. I'm not saying never, but there is no plan," Reichman said.

Another F1 style of Valhalla is the two large exhaust pipes located in the center of the rear of the car. Reichman said the hot air pool discharged from here helps draw cold air into the top of the car, which is critical for performance in areas that may reach around 1,000 degrees Celsius. Zirconium covers the pipes to protect the carbon fiber bathtub from high temperatures.

Even the grille, which caused some doubts when the design was announced, also has an important function of engine cooling.

"My job is to create a muscular figure that represents Aston Martin," Reichman said. "Aerodynamics alone cannot be sold; although it may be attractive, no one will buy the drag coefficient. The designer's job is to use all the scientific knowledge and say,'Yes, the idea might look like so.'" 

The chief designer considers Lamborghini to be a “shocking and awe-inspiring” automaker (not an insult), but this does not mean that this is the Aston Martin he wants. He sees the future as a continuation of meticulous attention to detail, which represents the elegance of the Aston Martin brand. Reichman saw new motivation and enthusiasm under the leadership of F1 billionaire team boss Lawrence Stroll (his son is driver Lance Stroll). I am not surprised to see more technologies penetrate from racing to production in the future.

"Even when you start sketching, you have an understanding of possible and impossible art," Reichmann said. "You always try to push boundaries and change. Valkyrie has taught me a lot, and I also use a lot of these influences and words in this car."

Are there any hints? Send a note to the author: kristin.shaw@thedrive.com

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