1,079hp Hybrid Aston Martin Valhalla Revealed

The long-awaited Aston Martin Valhalla is finally here, and it sure packs a punch. First off though, just look at it! More so than the Valkyrie, it's instantly recognisable as an Aston with design language filtered through from the new Vantage as well as a rear end influenced by the Valour. Underneath though, things are very different.

The first mid-engined series production car in Aston's history (the Valkyrie doesn't count) is also their first plug-in hybrid. The engine is a version of the four-litre turbocharged V8 we're used to, but with a flat-plane crank no doubt bringing a unique tone. New turbos capable of up to 3.0 bar of boost mean the engine alone produces 828hp, and when coupled with a 560-cell high performance battery and three electric motors, total output sits at 1,079hp and 811lb ft. 0-62 is around 2.5 seconds and top speed is 217mph.

A new eight-speed DCT gearbox promises super quick shift times as well as a 'thrilling shift character' which is interesting, as I've been one to have a little niggle with DCTs for being a bit too perfect at times. One of the electric motors is nestled within the gearbox and promises E-boost and Torque-Full tech. In English, they're intended to negate turbo lag and fill any gaps in the V8's power band.

The default mode is Sport, with Sport+ and Race above it, and a Pure EV mode is available where the Valhalla can quietly put out 251hp and a very healthy 632lb ft torque from its front motors at a speed of up to 80mph for nine miles. Whilst it is a plug-in hybrid, Aston is keen to point out Valhalla's clever regen technology, and says that energy harvested through the front motor under braking can be redeployed through torque vectoring to aid cornering — something they're calling a 'technical triumph'.

Aston is putting the torque vectoring capabilities (E-TV) high up the list of chassis features, along with Electric All-Wheel-Drive Distribution (E-AWDD, and you thought Porsche acronyms were confusing!), and Integrated Power Brake (IPB), all of which are tailored to each driving mode along with ESP settings. Six-axis inertia sensors throughout the car monitor grip levels and divide torque to provide maximum grip and agility for whatever situation you find yourself in.

Dry weight is quoted at 1,655kg, so all that tech doesn't come light, but 410mm front and 309mm rear carbon ceramic brakes should make light work of stopping it, it certainly isn't short on power, and time will tell how all that tech comes together through the twisties. A big point about those brakes, they're part of a brake-by-wire system as part of the regen system, but huge effort has apparently been made to make the pedal feel natural.

In excess of 600kg downforce is produced at 149mph thanks to a host of aerodynamic features including a huge hydraulically actuated rear T-wing with DRS which allows the lofty top speed, and it can also act as an air brake. The wing rises by 255mm in race mode.

A carbon tub is used with aluminium subframes and an evolution of the Bilstein DTX dampers we've been so impressed by in the new Vantage and Vanquish. Inboard springs benefit air flow, and the suspension is said to give Valhalla an 'exceptional range of performance across various dynamic driving modes'. There's notable F1 influence throughout, but this is a road car, after all.

Just 999 will be produced, with first deliveries due in the second half of 2025. If you have a spare hour or so for one of we petrolhead's guilty pleasures, there's a configurator live on the Aston website — sorry!