With the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Pacific Ocean as backdrops, Aston Martin celebrated its 70th anniversary recently with all the flash, drama and suspense of a James Bond movie. It debuted its projected $3.5 million car, and it’s as elusive as any dastardly nemesis of secret agent 007.
Cars and money and number-crunching always reign at auto shows. So, it only made perfect sense to introduce the British maker’s third hypercar, the 2022 Valkyrie Spider, as the same location opening act to the conveniently timed 70th anniversary of the Concours d’Elegance.
With the 25th film of the enduring spy movie series also debuting, the alignment of fine automobiles, history and elegance couldn’t have been better—with one caveat.
The new Aston Martin has stunning good looks and impressive specifications. But its unveiling by CEO Tobias Moers was little more than a cruel tease for global car fanciers. Unless you are a current Aston Martin owner and were allowed to buy one of the 85 examples manufactured, you’re out of luck. The Valkyrie Spiders are all sold.
But in the event that one of the futuristic-looking time travelers appears for sale, let’s have some fun.
The Valkyrie Spider has the same 6.5-liter Cosworth V-12 as the current Valkyrie. Combined with its hybrid system, the new Aston Martin has a total output of 1,160 horsepower. The Spider’s engine is mounted directly to the car’s carbon-fiber tub without an insulating subframe. There’s no steel.
With its removable (not foldable) roof stored, the Valkyrie Spider’s top speed is 205 miles per hour; With the roof intact, the limit improves to 217 mph. The new vehicle’s 0-60 mph time hasn’t been announced, but the current Valkyrie is rated at 2.5 seconds.
The Valkyrie Spider’s modified windows tilt forward dihedrally rather than directly up. The roof uses a central carbon-fiber panel that connects to two fixed polycarbonate windows. The removable panel adds only 33 pounds to the vehicle’s weight. It has left-hand and right-hand driving configurations and a removable steering wheel.
Named after the Norse mythological figure, the original Valkyrie was introduced in 2017. The new offering mirrors its sibling. It has a Formula 1-like seating position, six-point racing harnesses and a rearview camera system.
While the Valkyrie Spider may be the company’s most ambitious creation, it’s far too track-oriented for any potential use in the manufacturer’s long-tenured relationship with the James Bond franchise. It’s not in any scene in the new movie. Likewise, ejector seats or recessed machine guns turrets aren’t available as options.
Which may be a good thing. It leaves room for improvement in Aston Martin’s fourth hypercar.
