Two-time Champion Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso commissioned a personal car with Q by Aston Martin, the cleverly named bespoke decision of the British luxury 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-focused vision on the Aston Martin Valour.
Why is the Valiant such a big deal
As a current driver for the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, Fernando Alonso is familiar with the latest technologies in the elite motorsport. His years of experience and up-to-date expertise came into play when commissioning a personal car, which likely figured large in Q by Aston Martin’s decision to create the series. Some of his choices, such as minimizing or deleting anything that interfered with driver connection and focus, make the Valiant a driver’s car, not just a fast car with fancy features and nice paint and finishes.
The Aston Martin Valiant’s special features
Even just listing Valiant’s multitude of fascinating performance-focused features is beyond the scope of this article. I’ll call out the major bits since everything about the bespoke Valiant is special. The Valiant’s twin-turbocharged 52-liter V12 engine produces 735 hp 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 the suspension’s ride and handling in less than six milliseconds. This level of suspension control is usually limited to high-level race cars and only the most exclusive road cars. Massive Carbon Ceramic brakes handle stopping needs.
The Valiant’s bespoke bodywork is constructed entirely from carbon fiber sculpted for optimal aerodynamics, cooling, and handling. Extensive efforts were expended in reducing weight by using magnesium and titanium when appropriate and 3D printing significant structures.
Aston Martin states that the 38 Valiants are all fully allocated, which means customers and collectors have already ordered the entire edition. However, people’s plans and circumstances change, so nothing stops anyone from inquiring about a waiting list.
