Aston Martin is going to great lengths to develop a world-beating hypercar in the form of the Valkyrie, including snagging hugely successful Formula 1 race car designer Adrian Newey to be the project’s lead.
Fortunately, all of the knowledge gained and technology developed for the project won’t be exclusively relegated to the 175 Valkyries bound for production (150 road cars and 25 track-only Valkyrie AMR Pros).
You see, the goal of the Valkyrie is to establish Aston Martin’s credibility in the world of mid-engine cars. There are more to come, and lessons learned in developing the Valkyrie will directly benefit its progeny.
Next in line is another hypercar that Aston Martin has code-named the 003 (the Valkyrie was the 001 and the Valkyrie AMR Pro the 002) and confirmed for launch in 2021. A rough sketch of the 003 released last September shows a resemblance to the Valkyrie, and a new teaser released Tuesday leaves much less to the imagination.
Teaser for Aston Martin 003 hypercar debuting in 2021
Aston Martin will build 500 examples of the 003 in coupe format. The automaker hasn’t said whether a convertible will be added but it remains a possibility. Crucially, the 003 will likely be the car that Aston Martin uses for the 2020/2021 World Endurance Championship’s new Hypercar class, should the automaker end up joining, which means we could see a version of it race at Le Mans.
Power will come from a turbocharged engine, likely a V-6, paired with a KERS-stype hybrid system. Performance won’t be at the same level of the Valkyrie, with Aston Martin hinting that the 003 will be a more comfortable, more usable car—we’re told there will be space for luggage.
A name for the car could be Valhalla, which would be in keeping with the Norse mythology naming practice Aston Martin used for the Valkyrie.
Note, the 003 isn’t to be confused with the mid-engine supercar that Aston Martin will launch around 2020 as a rival to the Ferrari 488. The supercar will be a permanent addition to Aston Martin’s lineup and is expected to revive the Vanquish nameplate.
Aston Martin Valkyrie with Q by Aston Martin’s Spirit Designer Specification
