Aston Martin's Initial Mid-Engine Supercar is Priced at Half the Cost of McLaren's W1 | Carscoops

      The forthcoming Valhalla competes with Ferrari's F80 and McLaren's W1 while being significantly more affordable.

      Aston Martin's Valhalla boasts an impressive 1,065 hp produced by a hybrid V8 engine combined with three electric motors. This model is notable as the brand's first series-production mid-engine car and their initial plug-in hybrid. With only 999 units to be produced, most have already been reserved globally.

      Aston Martin has entered the final validation testing stage for its brand-new mid-engine Valhalla supercar, announcing that production will commence this quarter. This marks the first opportunity to view the Valhalla in real life, and the company asserts it will be a true competitor to the Ferrari F80 and McLaren W1, all while costing considerably less than either.

      The Aston Martin Valhalla has experienced a lengthy development process, first introduced as a concept in early 2019. During this time, it has undergone significant redesigns, and competing hybrid supercars like the Lamborghini Revuelto and Ferrari SF90 have been released. Currently, final testing is being conducted by three-time Le Mans class champion Darren Turner, both on public roads and at the IDIADA proving ground in Spain.

      The British automaker has displayed three different pre-production Valhalla models. One features a vibrant Podium Green with Lime Green accents, while another showcases a Verdant Jade finish with Gold details. The final stages of track testing concentrate on optimizing steering, active aerodynamics, and braking performance.

      A New Era of Firsts

      The Valhalla introduces a series of firsts for Aston Martin, including their first series-production mid-engine supercar, first plug-in hybrid, and the first with a practical EV-only range. It also presents a specially designed 4.0-liter twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8, acknowledged as the most powerful road-going V8 the brand has produced. This engine is paired with a new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission that integrates an e-motor and electronic rear differential, complemented by twin front electric motors that provide torque vectoring and all-wheel drive.

      According to CEO Adrian Hallmark, the Valhalla occupies a middle ground between "a regular supercar and a hypercar," certainly evident in terms of power. With its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 and three electric motors, it generates 1,065 hp and 811 lb-ft (1,099 Nm) of torque, surpassing the Revuelto and SF90 yet trailing the W1’s 1,258 hp and the F80’s 1,184 hp.

      Priced to Surprise

      "The product lineup [at Aston Martin] is the finest we’ve had,” Hallmark told Top Gear. "We have a pure sports car, an excellent grand tourer, a benchmark V12 product, and possibly the most technically advanced hypercar on the road with the Valkyrie. Soon, we’ll also have the most affordable mid-engine supercar compared to the F80 or W1. If we had anticipated those models’ prices seven years ago, the Valhalla wouldn’t be priced at £850,000 [$1.1 million] today. But stay tuned – it should maintain good residual values.”

      For comparison, the 1,258 hp McLaren W1 begins at nearly double the Valhalla’s price, at $2.1 million before taxes, while Ferrari’s 1,184 hp plug-in hybrid F80 starts at almost three times the cost, at $3.9 million. Both of these models are already sold out.

      Production will be limited to 999 units, with Aston reporting that approximately two-thirds have already been allocated. The time is running out, but after all these years, the Valhalla is finally shaping up to be worth the wait.