Aston Martin Valiant: road-legal racing car inspired by Fernando Alonso

Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso has ordered a personal car with Q by Aston Martin, the smartly named bespoke decision from the British luxury and performance automaker. Alonso’s exclusive track-focused but road-legal sports car was special enough that Q by Aston Martin created Valiant, a special edition limited to just 38 vehicles. Alonso based his wilder, performance-oriented vision on the Aston Martin Valour.

Why is the Valiant so important

As the current driver of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team, Fernando Alonso is familiar with the latest technology in elite motorsport. His years of experience and up-to-date expertise came into play when commissioning a personal car, which likely played a significant role in Q through Aston Martin’s decision to create the series. Some of its choices, like minimizing or removing anything that interfered with the driver’s connection and concentration, make the Valiant a driver’s car, not just a fast car with fancy features and nice paint and finishes.

The particularities of the Aston Martin Valiant

Even simply listing Valiant’s multitude of fascinating performance-oriented features is beyond the scope of this article. I’m going to highlight the major features, because everything about the bespoke Valiant is special. The Valiant’s 52-liter twin-turbo V12 engine produces 735 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque. Alonso specified a six-speed manual transmission.

The car’s Multimatic Adaptive Spool Value (ASV) dampers, also known as shock absorbers, can adjust suspension handling and maneuverability in less than six milliseconds. This level of suspension control is typically limited to top-tier racing cars and only the most exclusive road cars. Massive carbon-ceramic brakes handle the braking needs.

The Valiant’s bespoke bodywork is constructed entirely of sculpted carbon fiber for optimal aerodynamics, cooling and handling. Considerable effort was made to reduce weight by using magnesium and titanium where appropriate and 3D printing important structures.

Aston Martin says all 38 Valiants are fully allocated, meaning customers and collectors have already ordered the entire edition. However, people’s plans and circumstances change, so there’s nothing stopping anyone from inquiring about a waiting list.

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