Aston Martin & Red Bull Racing to build Valkyrie hypercar, due in 2019

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I hope someone here has the technical knowledge but every time press releases said something about aero they give you ``about 1000kg of downforce´´ and that´s ok but... 1000 kg at... 120mph? 200? maximun speed? it changes everything. In the latest Valkyrie´s Sim test, most of the journalist that drove it where told that they where 25 secs around spa quicker than with a generic hypercar (more P1 because of Goodwin involment). Doing some maths 2.38 min is the best time set by a P1 IRL, - 25 segs (driven by Goodwin) give us 2.13 to do a Spa lap. thats Lmp2 peace. Far from ``f1 lap times´´ promises but insane for a road legal car anyway.

I agree it's annoying. I keep a notepad with downforce figures for supercars press releases, but even that is a rough ballpark as they're all done at different speeds. Unfortunately like with a lot of press releases they like to leave things vague and we may never know how accurate it is. Logically thinking they would want to do it at top speed because that would give the highest downforce figures, but then not all cars can reach the same top speed. It should be standardised to report DF figures at 100-200-300 km/h and top speed, just like engine power and torque at XXX rpm.

Even something simple like weight is confusing at times. See this article from Koenigsegg: https://www.koenigsegg.com/apples-oranges-weights-and-measures/

As for the Valkyrie's time, there's still a lot of factors at play here. Is it the regular or AMR Pro? Slicks or road tyres? Fuel load, track conditions, traffic also play a factor and of course if it's a journalist driving then with a pro driver it could go faster. From what you said though, it's still far from an optimized time and if it's already LMP2 level then the finished product could be knocking on LMP1 laptimes :crazy: F1 is always going to be a far shot in my mind - you'd need 919 Evo material to even get close. Maybe they mean 1980s F1 :P
 
As for the Valkyrie's time, there's still a lot of factors at play here. Is it the regular or AMR Pro? Slicks or road tyres? Fuel load, track conditions, traffic also play a factor and of course if it's a journalist driving then with a pro driver it could go faster. From what you said though, it's still far from an optimized time and if it's already LMP2 level then the finished product could be knocking on LMP1 laptimes :crazy: F1 is always going to be a far shot in my mind - you'd need 919 Evo material to even get close. Maybe they mean 1980s F1 :P

There is not. They clearly said in the two videos (Carfection and Mr JWW ones) that it was the road car with road tyres. And the version that they drive was an early development one with no drive-aids (the base supercar model didn`t have either). James got a 20s delta (with no good driving, was braking everywhere) and Henry got a delta of 29s. Henry top 210mph(338km/h) at the end of the Kemmel Straight and, in the video on Aston YouTube channel and probaly with a later simulated model, Chris Goodwin hit 220,6mph(355km/h) in 6 gear (and the car has 7 gears). One more thing in this Chris video that we can take is that the Valkyrie does 101km/h(63mph) to 196km/h(122mph) in just 2.32s. Don't remenber who said here that the One has a greater top speed but I doubt it, even Mercedes gave us a theoretical figure around 217mph.
 
There is not. They clearly said in the two videos (Carfection and Mr JWW ones) that it was the road car with road tyres. And the version that they drive was an early development one with no drive-aids (the base supercar model didn`t have either). James got a 20s delta (with no good driving, was braking everywhere) and Henry got a delta of 29s. Henry top 210mph(338km/h) at the end of the Kemmel Straight and, in the video on Aston YouTube channel and probaly with a later simulated model, Chris Goodwin hit 220,6mph(355km/h) in 6 gear (and the car has 7 gears). One more thing in this Chris video that we can take is that the Valkyrie does 101km/h(63mph) to 196km/h(122mph) in just 2.32s. Don't remenber who said here that the One has a greater top speed but I doubt it, even Mercedes gave us a theoretical figure around 217mph.

Ok, so definitely a lot more time to be gained still. Are you sure about the acceleration figures though? The Regera does 100-200 kmh in about 3.8 seconds if wikipedia is to be believed, and that has more power, no gears and a less draggy body (Valkyrie has weight advantage but at those speeds weight doesn't matter as much). Also the Agera RS with 1MW package (same engine as One:1, but smaller rear wing so less drag) does 430 kmh. One:1 is going to be a bit slower because of the larger wing, but it would still comfortable eclipse the Valk's top speed I reckon. Track focused cars such as this usually doesn't prioritise top speed in their aero setup.
 
With cars like these the Aero is going to be more important in determining the faster car over power to weight anyway.

The Mercedes will probably have the advantage since it's coming out later and they can make revisions based on what they see from the Valkrie.

Perhaps if AMG did another chassis to house more radical aero elements otherwise NOT. AMG One have a good diffuser but not as fantastic as Valkyrie's and just a front splitter (versus Valkyrie front wing) and a stupid rear wing.
 
Ok, so definitely a lot more time to be gained still. Are you sure about the acceleration figures though? The Regera does 100-200 kmh in about 3.8 seconds if wikipedia is to be believed, and that has more power, no gears and a less draggy body (Valkyrie has weight advantage but at those speeds weight doesn't matter as much). Also the Agera RS with 1MW package (same engine as One:1, but smaller rear wing so less drag) does 430 kmh. One:1 is going to be a bit slower because of the larger wing, but it would still comfortable eclipse the Valk's top speed I reckon. Track focused cars such as this usually doesn't prioritise top speed in their aero setup.

I don't think the One will have a greater top speed... The claimed +217mph is too far from the 250mph region wich Valkyrie's is claimed to be in (and 217mph or 350km/h ins't even the top speed of the penultimate gear of the Valkyrie). If it had a theoretical top speed around 250mph, the marketing department would be screaming about it.
 
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I don't think the One will have a greater top speed... The claimed +217mph is too far from the 250mph region wich Valkyrie's is claimed to be in (and 217mph or 350km/h ins't even the top speed of the penultimate gear of the Valkyrie). If it had a theoretical top speed around 250mph, the marketing department would be screaming about it.

OK, I get it you're talking about the AMG One (I thought it was the Koenigsegg One:1). Then yes I agree probably it will be similar in speed to the Valk. 250mph is a bit of a stretch with the kind of downforce and drag it will produce though. Theoretical top speed from gearing doesn't mean much. It will probably have super long final gear for fuel economy reasons, not for top speed. As I said above, in track focused cars like this acceleration and cornering are priority, not outright top speed.
 
Of course the Koenigsegg will still have greater top speed.

The Valkyrie's theoretical top speed AROUND 250mph is due to early simulations regarding power and aerodynamics (Newey and his team did it before the project was presented to Aston and this number is not official data). There is no data on the last gear, official or leaked.

Just watch the Chris Goodwin video: it hits 220mph in redline 6 gear... and accelerating HARD!

There is no such thing as a "overdrive"/long gear for economy in a car like that. It will be tight. This is no subject on emissions regulations as well.

And 250mph is not thaaat much of a stretching in a car like this once its downforce rely majority (more than 2/3s) on the diffuser (this element only have friction drag that in low subsonic speeds isn't ****). Comparing it with similar shaped cars: the Sauber C9 did hit 248mph in qualifying in 1989 on Le Mans (probably within the low 900hp region); the Dauer 962 roadcar did hit 404.6km/h (251.5mph) with sub 850hp... Valkyrie has possible more drag but a1000hp ICE and DRS and Newey. I would say it will brake the McLaren F1 speed record but not much more than that. Again, this is no McLaren Senna with 1130hp, this ain't get no stupid big wing, has less frontal area, etc: much better lift-to-drag ratio.
 
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So the hypercar arms race begins

Now its your turn Ferrari!!!

Time to bring back Factory backed support to the 24 Hour race. Perhaps Ferrari might find glory there since its F1 days have been garbage to say the least.
 
So, let's try to put the candys properly (Argentinean expression)
We have: Toyota confirm (with something close to the GR super sport)
Now Aston with mi beloved Valkyrie
And SCG was pretty sure that they will enter with the 007...
Am I missing someone?

Edit: Oh, Brabham with the BT62 but in a lower categorie
 
Can you imagine tootling around in your Mercedes Project One and this thing screams past you!!

Aston Martin might take a unique approach to the Valkyrie's record attempt. Rather than paying to close the track for the run, Palmer suggests "turning up to an open session." It's not clear whether he's referring to the industry testing periods, which is when many spy shots come from, or the Touristenfahrten periods when the track is open to the general public.
 
Can you imagine tootling around in your Mercedes Project One and this thing screams past you!!

Aston Martin might take a unique approach to the Valkyrie's record attempt. Rather than paying to close the track for the run, Palmer suggests "turning up to an open session." It's not clear whether he's referring to the industry testing periods, which is when many spy shots come from, or the Touristenfahrten periods when the track is open to the general public.

Lucky you if you have a ONE!
Anyway last day I was talking with a friend of mine about lemans 20-21 and he say something that is true... the Valky is being developed since 2014... the quality, precision of the car would be difficult to beat. 5 years of developing and counting.
2 options... is going to be the F... best performance car EVER or the worst Aston's failure of his history...
I'm praying for the first :(:(
 
Yes very lucky

I have done 1 lap of the Nurburgring in a 5 door Honda Civic, it’s actually quite intimidating with much faster cars approaching and passing you.

1 lap was enough but a great experience
 
Lucky you if you have a ONE!
Anyway last day I was talking with a friend of mine about lemans 20-21 and he say something that is true... the Valky is being developed since 2014... the quality, precision of the car would be difficult to beat. 5 years of developing and counting.
2 options... is going to be the F... best performance car EVER or the worst Aston's failure of his history...
I'm praying for the first :(:(

1. The road car ain't floppy.
2. It's more than OK if they didn't get the W in their first try on the 24 Heures du Mans... since they gonna compete against a very experienced and competent team (Toyota).
 
Rory Reid got a chance to ride the Valkyrie up Goodwood





Later in the weekend, the Valkyrie had broken down on the Goodwood hill.

Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll quickly explained the reason behind the stoppage. The Canadian billionaire said that it was caused by an electrical glitch, caused by a "£5 part between the low voltage battery and the high voltage battery that decided not to work for some reason at that moment," he explained. Of note, that's around $7 with the current exchange rates.

 
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Rory Reid got a chance to ride the Valkyrie up Goodwood





Later in the weekend, the Valkyrie had broken down on the Goodwood hill.




That's usually the problem with British cars as far as I remember. Simple little oversights leading to total breakdown.
 
That's usually the problem with British cars as far as I remember. Simple little oversights leading to total breakdown.

They probably just forgot to top it off before the run.
smoke2.jpg
 
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I assume this thing is on street legal tires, pretty much all of which only perform so well even with downforce. I also can't imagine it's very warm in the UK right now.
 
First drive reviews are out



I like Henry Catchpole. He's a good presenter, a good speaker, a smart dude. As for Jonny Lieberman, honestly I feel bad for anybody who gets their automotive news from Lieberman. He's like the dude on the couch who just shows up and says things and doesn't really care all that much.

But Chris Harris is a legend. Besides the original Top Gear trio, Jeremy in particular, I think Harris is the leading automotive presenter in the world. Not only is he educated but he's also passionate about complex topics like engineering, he likes studying the nitty gritty of machines and knows what he's talking about, and he can drive the piss out of them too while doing all of that. He's an experienced race car driver who isn't messing about when he's on a mission. Literally the only tihng he's missing probably comes down to a generational thing, that classical british personality that Clarkson, May, and Hammond all have. But when it comes to the performance side of things he's miles better than all of them.
 
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