TA.b -Quickie - Aston Martin completes first Valkyrie hypercar

Aston Martin is a storied marque that has been producing luxury and performance cars for years. Decades even. Even James Bond thought they were cool. But the world is changing and the car industry is going through a revolution of sorts that has made it hard for smaller manufacturers to survive. Drawing on its ruch racing heritage and history, Aston Martin determined that ultra-performance hypercars were the way to go to survive and thrive. The result is the car you see here, the Aston Martin Valkyrie.  The Valkyrie (a Norse goddess of war) is a very limited edition with only 200 cars being built. Power comes from a hybrid V12 that produces in excess of 1,100 horsepower and the price is in the seven-figure range. As you can see from the pic and following video, the Valkyrie is basically an F1 car for the road. While it would've been cool to see electric propulsion, I guess we must take baby steps. I doubt many of us will ever see one of these outside of an auto show, so click on "read more" below and view the brief media release and video.  Here's to more Aston Martins in the future!

Source: Aston Martin - Media release, pics, and video

Lotus unveils it's latest sports car, the Emira

As we know, Lotus is a builder of sports cars. Good ones too, but Lotus is also an engineering company creating designs and doing engineering work for other automakers. Some of these car companies cannot afford extensive internal engineering departments. Lotus even creates platforms for others to use, like Tesla did with the original Roadster. It has been reported that Lotus has designed three EV platforms, one for their upcoming SUV, one for sports cars, and one that is offered to other automakers. Geeley, Lotus' parent, will use this platform for an upcoming EV. It has also been reported that the Emira will be Lotus' last model with an internal-combustion engine (ICE). Lotus calls the Emira their most accomplished Lotus ever made, which is saying something. The mid-engine design will feature two engines. At launch, the first cars will be available as limited-production ‘First Edition’ models powered by the Lotus-honed supercharged 3.5-litre V6 that creates 400hp. The V6 engine is source from Toyota and breathed on (heavily) by Lotus. The second engine is a four-cylinder engine that was developed by AMG and Lotus that produces 360 hp. AMG is the performance division of Mercedes Benz, so Lotus is hangin' with good company. A manual, an automatic, and a dual-clutch automatic are the transmission choices. The Emira is loaded with safety equipment and tech like the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which includes adaptive cruise control, anti-collision system, fatigue alert, road sign information, vehicle speed limiter, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist and much more. Click on "read more" below for all the details and an extensive (read long) video of the Emira reveal. Like most Lotus offerings, the cars can be extensively personalized. For example, Emira will be available with six exterior paint colors – Hethel Yellow, Shadow Grey, Magma Red, Nimbus Grey, Dark Verdant and the launch finish of Seneca Blue (shown). Seven interior colours are available – Black Nappa leather, Red Nappa leather, Grey Nappa leather, Tan Nappa leather, Black Alcantara with grey stitch, Black Alcantara with red stitch and Black Alcantara with yellow stitch. There are five wheel choices – cast 10-spoke, gloss black 10-spoke, silver forged V-spoke, gloss black forged V-spoke and diamond cut forged V-spoke) – with four brake caliper colours – black, red, yellow and silver. Choose away at their digital visualiser showcasing the car’s striking design which can be found at www.lotuscars.com. Prices should be just under six figures, but can go higher with lots of checks on the options sheet. Emira will be available early next year. No word on US deliveries. Enjoy.

Source: Lotus - Media release, pics, spec sheet, and video

Aston Martin unveils the Valhalla hybrid hypercar

Aston Martin is hanging in there and just released it's latest, the Valhalla Hybrid Hypercar. The low slung sports machine features stunning looks and a 950 hp (combined) hybrid powertrain that gets you to sixty in under three seconds, improved efficiency, and a 217 mph top speed. Ralph Illenberger, Head of Powertrain Engineering said: “Valhalla is our first opportunity to really show what we are capable of in a true production sense. We have created our own bespoke air-to-air charge-cooled, flat-plane crank V8 engine and have combined it with a powerful hybrid system. And, of course, we also have our own bespoke Dual Clutch Transmission - a first for Aston Martin and an essential component both for Valhalla and future Aston Martin models. The result is a truly world-class powertrain for an efficient, ultra-performing supercar.” Valhalla has a carbon fiber tub and performance suspension created with technology gleaned from Aston Martin's F1 program. This is a beautiful car with the latest technology and performance befitting a proper Aston Martin for the future. Says AM, "Valhalla is a new generation Aston Martin, it defines a new driver and driving experience – ‘the Mastery of Driving’, a true ultra-luxury, exclusive, British supercar." Here, here, pip, pip, Cheerio. I understand that a certain famous British spy has been looking the Valhalla over. Celluloid dream (cars). Pricing wasn't released, but as they say, "If you have to ask..." For more information, a well-written media release, and a video, click on "read more" below. Enjoy!

Aston Martin - Media release, pics, and video