But the 11,100rpm Cosworth V12, aerodynamic components that stretch the entire length of the body, and the staggering performance when you’re really on it, all mark it out as very much a converted racing car. Take it on a track day, and regardless of what else was there, you won’t be overtaken much. For £2.3 million, you’d hope not.
Aston Martin took some time to find its feet with the follow-up to the much-loved DB9. 2016’s DB11 was a bit of a shock to the system thanks to its all-new look, and while it was certainly competent and capable, it didn’t move the game on as much as everyone expected, and as much as some rivals had done. It did mark an interesting departure for the lineage though, when in 2017 it adopted a V8 engine.
When the DB12 arrived in 2023 it carried on with AMG-sourced twin-turbo V8 power, leaving twelve cylinders for the third-generation Vanquish. Some might see it as a step down but there’s no doubting the performance of the V8 (671bhp at launch, 690bhp with 2025’s DB12 S) and it’s not like the V8 doesn’t make fantastic noises, either.
More importantly, the DB12 is a bit more comfortable in its own skin, both in its styling and in the measured, enjoyable way it drives. The DB12 S goes even further, with improvements to its body control and steering for a more composed feel, while the cabin has only got better over the years as well. It has a balance between sporty handling and relaxed long-distance touring abilities that few companies beyond Aston Martin seem to truly understand.
The Valkyrie was only ever designed as a limited-production and very specialised vehicle. The Valhalla meanwhile is, while not exactly mainstream, more Aston’s interpretation of a volume mid-engined supercar - an alternative to the likes typically offered by Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren. And for what’s effectively a first effort, it’s very impressive indeed.
It had a somewhat tortured development, proposed in concept form as far back as 2019 but, thanks to Aston Martin’s ongoing struggles, the Valhalla seemed a little off-and-on for a while. It’s been worth the wait though. It looks spectacular for a start, very clearly related to the Valkyrie albeit less extreme, but it’s also simply great to drive.
The hybrid-assisted AMG V8 puts well over 1,000bhp to the road, though it has all four wheel-drive to help it, a rarity for Aston Martin outside of the DBX SUV. Performance is mighty but the handling is beautifully balanced and exploitable – you’d need a track to fully appreciate it, but it works great on the road too. If there’s one major flaw, it’s that despite this being a supercar you’d happily drive to far-flung locations, there’s no luggage space. You’ll need to send a DBX on ahead with your bags…
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