The Aston Martin Valiant Is A Valour That Does More With Less
Were you one of the 110 people who got your hands on an Aston Martin Valour? Did you find that its 715-horsepower twin-turbo V12 and manual transmission were just too staid and practical for you, and not nearly exciting enough for all those track laps you surely turned? Well, never fear. Aston has a new solution: The Aston Martin Valiant, available for the first 38 callers only.
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The Valiant iterates on the Valour’s formula, reportedly at the request of Fernando Alonso himself — Alonso apparently wasn’t impressed by the Valour, and asked for something lighter and more track-focused from Aston’s engineers. That project led to the Valiant, which uses carbon, magnesium, and some careful construction to cut weight while adding another 20 horsepower to the Valour’s engine for a total of 735 horses. All that rides on Multimatic dampers, for a more track-ready setup.
Photo: Aston Martin
Not that you, personally, will ever experience those horses. Aston Martin hasn’t published an MSRP for the Valiant, because the company hasn’t needed to — all 38 examples have already been sold. After the car’s full debut at Goodwood, you’re unlikely to even see one outside a climate-controlled investment garage.
Of course, from an artistic perspective, the car is a beauty. No one is doing proportions or silhouettes like Aston Martin, and the wing here really adds some aesthetic appeal over the Valour. The rear diffuser, too, adds some real racing flair.
Photo: Aston Martin
There are ways, though, in which the Valiant is a step back from its twin. One of the best parts of the Valour’s design was its ‘70s-inspired front end, and here that’s just… gone, replaced with a grille that doesn’t meaningfully echo Astons of old. The company claims it’s inspired by the V8 RHAM/1, but that car still had the classic Aston grille shape. This doesn’t.
The Valiant is a lighter, quicker Valour, better-looking in some ways and worse in others. You’ll see it climb the hill at Goodwood, and maybe a YouTuber will get a spin behind the wheel one day. Beyond that, just appreciate it as art.
