Nother CarGuy

Aston Martin‘s upcoming mid-engine hypercar, the AM-RB 003, will be officially known as the Valhalla. The car is named after the warrior’s paradise as it was celebrated in ancient Norse mythology, while also helping the British automaker carry on its long-standing tradition of V-named models. Only 500 Coupe examples of the hybrid hypercar will be built, every single one of them made completely out of carbon fiber. Aston’s V car naming strategy goes back seven decades. In 1951, the Vantage designation was given to high performance variants of the DB2 (at the time), and while that badge was never actually applied back then, the name stuck around (it became a model line in 2005). “Aston Martin model names always attract a lot of attention. They do so because they invariably capture an emotion or tell a story. In following the Valkyrie we knew the Aston Martin Valhalla needed to make a strong statement of its own, yet also offer continuity and a clear connection,” said Aston Marti...

Aston Martin’s onslaught of concept car debuts continues with the AM-RB 003, the new working name for Project 003. Presented in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show, the AM-RB 003 benefits from the involvement of Red Bull Advanced Technologies (RBAT), just like the Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro. The new study will transition into a production car that will become Aston Martin’s third mid-engined model. According to CEO Andy Palmer, it will benefit from Red Bull’s involvement in its design and engineering, particularly when it comes to the chassis and aerodynamics. Aston Martin says the AM-RB 003 will incorporate concepts and technologies taken directly from Formula 1 “to meet and surpass the performance demands of existing top-end hypercar rivals.” However, the AM-RB 003 will make greater concessions to practicality and road use than the Valkyrie. For example, the new model will have a roomier cockpit allowing for more space between driver and passenger thanks to a wi...