Thursday, September 20, 2018

Aston Martin confirms mid-engined ‘Project 003’ hypercar for 2021

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James Brodie 2018-09-20 12:00

The Project 003 will be the third Aston hypercar, and will slot in beneath the Valkyrie as a McLaren Senna rival

Aston Martin 003 - sketch

A third Aston Martin hypercar to compliment the Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro has been confirmed by the British brand. No official name has been announced, but it is currently being developed under the codename Project 003.

The project is still in an embryotic state - Aston says that the new model will arrive on sale late in 2021, and while both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive production is planned the new model will be limited to 500 examples globally.

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That means that the Valkyrie – limited to 175 units – will be more exclusive, so we expect this new model to slot in beneath the road and track versions of Aston’s 2020 hypercar, which is being developed in conjunction with the Red Bull Formula 1 team. As such, the 003 will be less of an adversary for the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, but more a 2021 contemporary for the likes of the McLaren Senna.

Aston says that Project 003 will be mid-engined, built around a lightweight structure and road legal. A turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid engine will provide power, though Aston has yet to detail the exact make-up of the powertrain. Power should sit somewhere between that of the DBS Superleggera and Valkyrie, at around 900bhp maximum. Technology will be borrowed from the Valkyrie project, such as active aerodynamics and active suspension. 

A single sketch teases the design of the new model, hinting at a wild aerodynamic profile and a jet gather style canopy. Despite this, Aston promises that Project 003 is being designed to be a more practical offering than the Valkyrie, with space for luggage. 

Aston Martin boss, Dr. Andy Palmer said: “It was also vital to us that Valkyrie would create a legacy: a direct descendent that would also set new standards within its own area of the hypercar market, creating a bloodline of highly specialised, limited production machines that can exist in parallel with Aston Martin’s series production models.

“I’m thrilled to announce that this car is the Project ‘003’, and our next step into a dynamic and exacting arena.”

Click here for all the latest on the 2019 Aston Martin Valkyrie...



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