With the delivery date of the first Aston Martin AM-RB 001 Valkyrie drawing ever closer, Aston Martin this week released performance figures for its mighty Cosworth V12 engine.
Like everything else to do with the Adrian Newey-designed hypercar, they exceed a design specification that was truly spectacular in the first place.
As intended from the outset of the project, the 6.5l engine has a certified peak power output of 1000bhp (which works out at an impressive 153.8 bhp-per-litre) reached at a 10,500rpm, before going on to hit the red line at 11,000 rpm.
Thanks to sophisticated materials, technology and advanced production processes, the engine weighs just 206kg and – with shades of F1 – is a fully-stressed element of the chassis. The engine reaches peak torque of 740Nm at 7,000rpm, though this will be supplemented by a kinetic energy recovery system developed by Rimac, the performance of which will be revealed nearer the delivery date.
While the 65° V12 layout harks back to the Formula One we knew in the early 1990s, the addition of a KERS places it firmly in the hybrid era and ensures it meets all programme targets for emissions compliance.
Designed as a collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the Valkyrie is intended to be the ultimate road-going hypercar and thus, Cosworth set out to create the ultimate road-going V12 to complement it.
Cosworth Technical Director Bruce Wood, commented: “Being asked to create a naturally aspirated V12 engine fit for what will surely be one of the most iconic cars of all time is an immense source of pride for Cosworth.
“Decades in F1 taught us to expect a pretty demanding specification from someone with Adrian Newey’s unsurpassed track record, but when we started talking about specifics of power, weight, emissions compliance and durability combined with ever harder and sometimes conflicting targets, we knew this would be a challenge like no other.
“It’s been a fantastic partnership between Aston Martin, Red Bull and Cosworth with each party bringing a distinct clarity of vision that has proved essential in delivering an internal combustion engine way beyond anything previously seen in a road car application.”
The Cosworth V12 will be used in both the Aston Martin AM-RB 001 Valkyrie, and the track-only Aston Martin AMR Pro derivative. Deliveries of the 150 road cars and 25 track variants are scheduled to begin next year, with the entire production run long-since sold-out.
