Aston Martin Valkyrie’s V12 engine is ‘a masterpiece’

Aston Martin, in conjunction with Cosworth, has created a truly astonishing engine.

Destined for the Aston Martin Valkyrie, the new naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine is capable of producing 735kW, and revs to 11,100rpm. It achieves peak torque of 740Nm at 7000rpm, a figure which is above redline for most other road cars.

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Cosworth's F1 experience, as well as Red Bull Racing engineer Adrian Newey's expertise and Aston's vision for the hypercar, has allowed the goal of creating ‘the ultimate expression of the internal combustion engine’ to be realised.

The Valkyrie’s V12 will also be working in tandem with a hybrid system which Aston Martin is yet to detail, so the hypercar’s total output is yet to be revealed.

Cosworth's engine building history is further evidenced in the V12's low weight of 206kg. The engine is part of the chassis, so it was vital that a balance between lightness and strength was found in the materials used.

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In addition, Aston Martin has release a video (above) of the engine’s sound, invoking memories of the pre-hybrid F1 era.

Aston Martin CEO and revhead himself Andy Palmer says a naturally aspirated V12 was the only way to go for the Valkyrie – no matter what.

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“To anyone with a drop of petrol in their blood, a high-revving naturally aspirated V12 is the absolute pinnacle,” Palmer says.

“Nothing sounds better or encapsulates the emotion and excitement of the internal combustion engine more completely.

“Despite the apparently insurmountable challenges it presented, there was never any question that the Aston Martin Valkyrie would make do with anything less.

“From the outset the team at Cosworth were unflinching in their commitment to achieving benchmarks which pushed the boundaries of the possible.

“The result is a quite extraordinary engine. One which I doubt will ever be surpassed.”

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Cosworth managing director Bruce Wood says Cosworth is proud to have joined with Aston and Red Bull F1 to have such a significant input into the engine’s final design.

“Decades in F1 taught us to expect a pretty demanding specification from someone with Adrian Newey’s unsurpassed track record, but when we started talking about specifics of power, weight, emissions compliance and durability combined with ever harder and sometimes conflicting targets, we knew this would be a challenge like no other.

“It’s been a fantastic partnership between Aston Martin, Red Bull and Cosworth with each party bringing a distinct clarity of vision that has proved essential in delivering an internal combustion engine way beyond anything previously seen in a road car application.”