Pushrod suspension features at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear, with dampers and springs mounted inboard to reduce unsprung mass, The entire set-up is stiffened and “dramatically” lowered in Track mode and can be raised at low speed to clear speed bumps.
By using more subtle bodywork elements to enhance downforce, Aston’s designers were given free rein for the overall silhouette, without the need for such dramatic wings, intakes and outlets as on the Valkyrie. The design is much cleaner, more overtly road-focused and extensively altered from that of the concept.
The prominent roof scoop, forward-hinged dihedral doors, swooping rear deck and one-piece rear wing remain, but a completely new treatment for the front, rear and side bring the supercar into line with its more mainstream siblings.
A wraparound version of Aston’s trademark grille features at the front, for example, below larger, rounder matrix LED headlights, while the rear diffuser has been heavily toned down for a more production-friendly set-up. There is a more angular-looking side skirt, too, sharper side vent designs and, obviously, wing mirrors, which were absent from the show car.
The production-spec wheels, meanwhile, are 20in in diameter at the front and 21in at the rear and wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres.
Inside the Valhalla offers a “pared back cockpit design with clear, simple ergonomics unashamedly focused around the driver”, Aston said, complete with a squared steering wheel – near-identical to the Valkyrie’s – and a pair of screens for the gauges and infotainment.
It’s more spacious and civilised than its sibling, though, with additions such as an infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone air conditioning, a rear-view camera and a raft of advanced driver aids strengthening its on-road credentials.
Chief creative officer Marek Reichman explained how the Valhalla’s different positioning from the Valkyrie necessitated a unique design approach: “When we created the Valhalla concept, we were keen to emphasise the design legacy of the Valkyrie, and that intent remains unchanged, but the execution has evolved considerably in order to reach production of this all-new car.
“Though the legacy of the Valkyrie is clear, the Valhalla is now a more mature, fully resolved piece of design.”
