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Aston Martin Valkyrie set to make 1,000 horsepower, rev to 11,100 rpm

Aston Martin is working with Cosworth to develop the Valkyrie engine, an engine (we now know) unlike that found in any other production car. Today it has shared some of the specifics. The naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 will make 1,000 horsepower and rev up to 11,100 rpm. We did the math, that's 153.8 horsepower per liter in a non-boosted car. Cue the jaws dropping to the floor. The first thought here goes to what this thing will sound like. Aston has us covered there with a video it tweeted out this morning, which you can play below. Developed in conjunction with longtime technical partner @Cosworth, the new V12 had to satisfy a simple, yet extraordinary brief; to create the ultimate expression of the internal combustion engine. #AstonMartinValkyrie #ASTONMARTIN #Cosworth pic.twitter.com/BQXUVD355f — Aston Martin (@astonmartin) December 12, 2018 We got a sneak preview awhile back of the sound, and this just confirms how awesome it's going to be. The noises bring us back to a time when F1 engines actually sounded good. Peak power is made at an astounding 10,500 rpm, so you'll want to rev it all the way up to the top before shifting. Torque is predictably much lower — it makes 546 pound-feet at 7,000 rpm, when most engines are either done or running out of steam. Numbers for the Valkyrie's hybrid system are still unavailable, so we'll have to wait to find out the combined output. The large V12 weighs 454 pounds, and Aston says it's a fully stressed element of the chassis — removing the engine would literally split the car in two. Titanium connecting rods, F1-spec pistons and a billet-machined crankshaft that takes six months to produce are but a few highlights of the Cosworth engine. Aston Martin says the crankshaft is 50 percent lighter than the One-77's V12 rotating assembly. Thankfully, we've been provided with a gallery of engine photos to drool over. Making such a ridiculous and powerful engine emissions-compliant enough for a road car is something every car enthusiast can appreciate. Naturally aspirated V12s are arguably one of the most satisfying engine configurations to have been put forth on this earth. One that revs to 11,100 rpm sounds like it could crack anybody's list of greatest road car engines ever. Aston Martin sounds hyped about it, and we don't blame them. This car, and this engine, are going to be monsters. View 16 Photos Related video:

Aston Martin sheds light on its first two electric vehicles

Aston Martin's on-again, off-again electric car rollout is beginning to take shape. Bolstered by stakeholder Daimler, the British carmaker detailed the first two battery-powered models that it plans to bring to the market. Speaking to the Financial Times, company stakeholder Lawrence Stroll confirmed that at least two electric Aston Martin models are on their way after several false starts. One will be a sports car in the vein of the DB11, and the other will be an SUV. Both will be built in the United Kingdom, so they will not roll off a Mercedes-Benz assembly line, but neither's design has been finalized yet. Stroll affirmed that his team hasn't even decided what to call them. As we previously reported, both of these EVs are likely to use at least some technology borrowed from Mercedes-Benz. Daimler will increase its stake in Aston Martin to 20% by 2023, and it's granting the company access to its hybrid and electric powertrains in return. It's a win-win situation: on one hand, Aston Martin receives state-of-the-art turnkey components. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz is able to leverage the benefits of economies of scale. It's still too early to tell precisely which parts Aston Martin will use to build its first electric cars. It could borrow a platform from Mercedes-Benz, it could use powertrain components (like batteries and motors), or it might sign up for both. "We're looking at all options," explained Stroll. Regardless, the company's much-hyped plans to recycle the decades-old Lagonda name to denote a luxurious sub-brand focused on electric cars have been canned. Tobias Moers, the company's CEO, confirmed that the first electric Aston Martin models will go on sale in 2025 or 2026. In the meantime, the company will launch several hybrids, including a fuel-sipping version of the DBX. Aston Martin needs to go electric, because it will no longer be allowed to sell cars powered by an internal combustion engine in its home country of England after 2030. It's not entirely phasing out its gasoline-powered models, however. Stroll previously stressed he doesn't think the internal combustion engine will ever fully disappear. Related Video:

Continuation Aston Martin DB4 GTs unleashed at Silverstone track day

The first customers for the Aston Martin DB4 GT continuation cars have now gotten to experience track time in them. Aston arranged a customer track day at Silverstone, with five continuation GTs stretching their legs on the legendary circuit. The continuation cars are a 25-car run built by Newport Pagnell's Aston Martin Works, after the original 1959 recipe. The manufacturer has dedicated a two-year international track driving program for the cars, and the next event after Silverstone will be the Rockingham circuit in the UK on June 21. The third track day will take place in Le Mans on July 27 — more tracks will be announced later. The events have driving trainers to instruct DB4 GT owners about handling their cars the way they are supposed to, or as Aston's press release puts it: "They will help customers master driving techniques from an era when track driving was more art than science." Well put. One of the instructors is Aston Martin Racing driver Darren Turner, three-time Le Mans class winner. If you can't quite swing it to get yourself a real continuation Aston, there's also a more modern opportunity waiting to be seized: a DB5 replica based on — of all things — a Honda S2000. As its dimensions are just a bit off, the car seems to be a cross between The Car and a David Brown Speedback, and it retains the S2000 interior. The asking price is an eye-watering $95,000, which is still a lot less than a continuation DB4 GT. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin DB4 Continuation Silverstone trackday News Source: Aston Martin Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance Classics