SimplyAbuDhabi XLIV

M eet the Aston Martin Valiant: an ultra-exclusive, track-fo- cused, road-legal special edition of extraordinary rarity, presence, and potency. It is just the latest in a long line of extraordinary projects expertly handled by an in-house bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin. Powered by a 745PS Twin Turbo 5.2-litre V12 mated to a six-speed manual transmission, Valiant embodies Aston Martin’s commitment to building pure driver’s cars. Valiant was originally conceived from a personal commission from Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 ® Team driver, Fernando Alonso, for a lightweight, more extreme, race car-inspired version of the spectacular Aston Martin Valour. Following the commission and taking inspiration from Fernando’s 23-year career in Formula 1 ® and his passion for driv- ing at the limit, Valiant was born as a strictly limited-edition special that has been carefully designed and crafted by the experts in Aston Martin’s bespoke division: Q by Aston Martin. Aspiring to offer the ultimate in bespoke personalisation services, Q by Aston Martin delivers both care- fully curated special editions such as Valiant and Valour, as well as the opportunity for individual owners to embark on the creation of utterly individual sports cars like Victor. Valiant continues a strong lineage of Aston Martins that deliver true driving intensity, both on-road and on-track with the ultimate hypercar, Valkyrie; the brand’s most focused sports car, Vantage and its brother in speed, the Vantage GT3 race car; and of course the upcoming mid-en- gine supercar, Valhalla. While both Valour and Valiant take inspiration from the brand’s iconic heritage in their design, they sit firmly in Aston Martin’s modern performance future delivering class leading power, driving dynamics, and cutting-edge technology, ensuring Aston Martin’s appeal to true driving connoisseurs. Combining the brutal style and blistering performance of a bygone evocative era of brutal V12 performance with state-of-the-art contempo- rary engineering, lightweight materials, and spectacular design, Valiant pushes the boundaries of performance and engagement to evolve, inten- sify, and reimagine the ultimate Aston Martin driver’s car. One born to thrive on the racetrack and thrill on the road. As the new pinnacle of ferocious front-engined Aston Martin limited edition specials, Valiant has been developed to deliver its best on-track, while remaining fully homologated for road use. It boasts an exotic specification to delight the purist and excite the most demanding driver. Crowned by the combination of Aston Martin’s incredible twin-turbo- charged 5.2-litre V12 engine – which now develops 745PS and 753Nm of torque - and six-speed manual transmission, Valiant also features standard-fit Carbon Ceramic brakes measuring 410mm x 38mm front and 360mm x 32mm rear for immense fade-free stopping power. Valiant features a number of unique engineering highlights to reduce weight and dial-in the chassis for serious track use. The adoption of a 3D-printed rear subframe saves 3kg with no reduction in stiffness, while a magnesium torque tube reduces mass at the centre point of the car by 8.6kg. Lightweight 21” magnesium wheels – with 275/35 front and 325/30 rear tyres - improve steering response and wheel control, reducing unsprung mass by 14kg. Amotorsport-spec lithium-ion battery has been fitted to save a further 11.5kg. Simply Abu Dhabi | 259