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| Aston Martin Valhalla |
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Page 1 of 3 Next >>  Fusing the performance-driven methodologies and technologies of Formula 1® with spectacular design and scintillating driving dynamics, Valhalla is a supercar of extraordinary scope. With development now at an advanced stage the time has come to reveal full details of Aston Martin’s landmark mid-engined hybrid supercar.As befits the ultimate driver’s supercar, Valhalla is a car of ‘firsts’: Aston Martin’s first series production mid-engined supercar and first plug-in hybrid, delivering the marques first production vehicle with dedicated EV range capability. It is also the first model to use the bespoke 4.0-litre twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8 engine – the highest performing V8 engine ever fitted to an Aston Martin – and is the first to use the brand’s all-new 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which incorporates an e-Motor and electronic rear differential (E-diff). Valhalla also debuts a fresh design language. Extreme supercar performance expressed with fresh form and proportion, it bears the unmistakable Aston Martin hallmarks of flawless, uncorrupted lines and combines them with innovative high-downforce active aerodynamics. Close collaboration with Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) – the consulting arm of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1® Team – on dynamics, aerodynamics and materials have brought an extra dimension of knowledge and skills to the Valhalla’s design and development. This vital contribution has aided Aston Martin to push the boundaries of supercar engineering and performance to deliver a car which shines on road and thrives on track. For Aston Martin CEO, Adrian Hallmark, Valhalla expresses the future vision for the ultra-luxury performance brand; “Four years ago we set out on a journey to transform the Aston Martin brand by taking its historic and unmatched luxury credential's and adding cutting-edge F1® inspired technology and class-leading performance, with the aim of taking on the most successful brands in the world. “With the next generation of sportscars launched to critical acclaim, we are now adding the first ever mid-engine series production Aston Martin to our portfolio, the ultimate driver’s supercar. On paper and on-track Valhalla delivers the most driver-focused, technologically advanced supercar, with true hypercar performance and yet on the road it is as useable and enjoyable as any Aston Martin. A unique proposition, designed to be the most elegant and exciting product in the market. “We learned to think differently from developing the ultimate hypercar, Aston Martin Valkyrie and working with Adrian Newey. This knowledge and new methodology have allowed us to build on the strengths of our past successes and position Aston Martin as a class-leading company in technology, performance and experience for our customers who will be the custodians of this new piece of Aston Martin history, Valhalla.” This relentless pursuit of excellence has seen Valhalla’s specification evolve significantly from the original concept with significant gains achieved in power output, downforce and dynamic capability. Central to this is Valhalla’s best-in-class 1079PS and 1100Nm of torque hybrid powertrain comprising an 828PS 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and three electric motors (two of which drive the front axle) contributing a further 251PS. The Internal Combustion Engine, (ICE) produces 207PS/litre, the highest specific output from any Aston Martin. An all-new 8-speed DCT transmission sends drive to the rear axle, delivering split-second shift times and a thrilling shift character. Performance targets include 0-100kp/h (62mph) acceleration in 2.5 seconds and an electronically limited 350km/h (217mph) maximum speed. Active aerodynamics informed by the revolutionary Aston Martin Valkyrie generate in excess of 600kg of downforce. This figure is reached at 240km/h (149mph) and then maintained all the way to Valhalla’s 350km/h (217mph) maximum speed by using active aerodynamics to gradually reduce the front and rear wings’ angle of attack to ‘bleed’ excess downforce as speed rises, thereby keeping the aerodynamic balance consistent across a broad performance envelope for maximum driver confidence. Sophisticated Integrated Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVC) electronics monitor suspension, braking, steering, active aerodynamics and powertrain systems to achieve optimal performance and driver connection in every situation. Working in harmony with Valhalla’s four driver selectable drive modes, IVC continually shapes Valhalla’s dynamic character by monitoring vehicle behaviour and driver demands. Through precise calibration this immensely complex and sophisticated system delivers an organic, natural feeling driving experience. One which effortlessly and seamlessly ups its game to achieve new heights of performance and driver engagement. On start-up, Valhalla selects Sport mode as default, with the driver able to manually select Pure EV, Sport+ and Race as alternative drive modes. Each mode has its own combination of settings for powertrain (including Torque Vectoring and hybrid system integration), plus suspension stiffness, active aero, and steering calibration for distinct driving characters. In pure EV mode, drive is from the front-axle motors only with a range of 14km and a top speed limited to 140km/h (80mph). With the four defined drive modes, drivers can select their chosen mode via the rotary in the center stack. A tactile control, for maximum interaction between driver and machine. Each drive mode is purposefully calibrated to give the driver a distinct and differentiated experience. In pure EV, silent on start-up, and the mode we imagine customers to start and end their journey. As the battery depletes its state of charge, Valhalla will automatically switch from EV to Sport. Sport engages the 4.0-litre Twin-Turbo V8 engine and drives Valhalla as a hybrid supercar, combining the instantaneous torque of the electrified front axle with the exhilarating power of the V8. Dialing up the theatre into Sport +, Valhalla is maximised for dynamic thrill on the open road. Race mode is all about ultimate performance, focused for the racetrack, and engaging the active aerodynamics. In pure EV, Sport and Sport+ modes, the active rear wing remains stowed to maintain Valhalla’s elegant silhouette. In Race mode, the rear T-Wing raises by 255mm on powerful hydraulic rams for maximum downforce. In conjunction with the distinctive and active rear wing, Valhalla employs a concealed active front wing, just ahead of the front axle, a component that is essential to how Valhalla controls the air in Race mode. A technical triumph, developed with a single mechanism to control and manage airflow across multiple surfaces, the active front wing is set to minimise drag in its default position. When Race mode is selected the front wing shifts to maximum downforce mode with full range of movement including, an automated DRS function when the vehicle determines it needs to bleed of downforce. Under braking, when in Race mode, the rear wing will dominantly deploy as an air brake, working in tandem with the active front wing to shift the balance of pressure and ensure optimal stability when delivering incredible braking performance. For Aston Martin’s Director of Vehicle Performance, Simon Newton, developing Valhalla has been a unique and rewarding journey: “The challenge for the engineering and vehicle dynamics teams has been to harness, for the first time, the immense power of Valhalla’s hybrid powertrain through a combination of active aerodynamics and integrated dynamic control systems. With 1079PS and 1100Nm, extraordinary performance is a given. The challenge is achieving next-level speed, precision and exhilaration on track while retaining the characteristics of an enjoyable and highly emotional supercar when driving on the road. It’s this unprecedented dynamic bandwidth that separates Valhalla from its class rivals”. Valhalla’s hybrid powertrain combines a new 828PS 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with three electric motors contributing a further 251PS; two E-motors are mounted on the front axle and a third E-motor built-in to the new 8-speed DCT transmission, which sends dedicated drive to the rear axle. The trio of E-motors are powered by an advanced High-Performance Battery (HPB) system designed specifically for use in a performance focused PHEV powertrain. Featuring an ultra-effective dielectric cooling system the battery combines the capability to deploy its state of charge to satisfy frequent and successive power demands with fast energy absorption and high-power density. This means that on a spirited drive, the full power potential can be called up immediately, while recuperation is strong when decelerating. The HPB’s cooling system circulates a high-tech electrically non-conductive coolant fluid through the entire battery pack, ensuring each of its 560 individual cells are kept at their optimum temperature to ensure the consistent delivery of maximum performance. The front axle is driven solely by a pair of innovative Radial Flux Interior Permanent E-motors designed solely for Valhalla, with each motor generating 18.1 PS/kg. When EV mode is selected, Valhalla takes drive exclusively from the front axle. Uniquely, these front E-motors are integrated within a custom-built P4 Front Electric Drive Unit to allow front wheel torque vectoring. To extract all possible torque and power, and achieve exceptionally compact package space requirements, the P4 unit employs market leading high strength Neodymium Iron Boron magnets within an asymmetric rotor. Aided by a newly developed cooling strategy, the E-motor features Active Stator and Rotor Oil cooling to reduce temperatures and consistently maintain maximum performance in the most demanding driving scenarios. The rear axle is driven by the V8 engine, with additional contribution from the third electric motor built into the DCT transmission. Unlike the V8 found in Aston Martin’s Vantage, DB12 and DBX707 models, Valhalla’s new engine employs a dry sump lubrication system to ensure adequate oil supply even under high lateral forces on the racetrack. Another significant difference is the flat-plane crankshaft, where the crankpins are aligned with a 180-degree offset. The ignition of the flat-plane V8 alternates from one bank of cylinders to the other, eliminating the residual gas issues of the cross-plane V8. The more uniform combustion across all cylinders allows for optimal utilisation of the engine's power potential and delivers sharper response. New camshafts and new exhaust manifolds further improve the gas exchange. The pistons have been designed for higher peak pressures while also being weight optimised. The two twin-scroll turbochargers are roller-bearing mounted, which further enhances their response. A larger compressor wheel is used here, allowing the turbos to deliver an increase of almost 20% of air per hour compared to Aston Martin’s most powerful cross-plane crank V8 engine, found in the DBX707. There is no physical connection between the front and rear axles. Instead, the two axles are continually monitored and managed by Valhalla’s state-of-the-art IVC and Integrated Power Brake systems. Torque Vectoring on the front axle and the rear axle’s Electronic Limited-Slip Differential (E-diff) control drive to all four wheels, according to dynamic demands for a perfect blend of traction, stability and handling agility, with enhanced steering precision and neutral handling balance. Completing the powertrain is an all-new 8-speed DCT transmission. Designed and built for Aston Martin, this new paddle-shift gearbox has been developed specifically for the hybrid era and features a built-in electric motor. This E-motor is used to start the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, charge the high voltage batteries and provide torque fill to assist the engine. It also supports with gear synchronization, allowing Aston Martin engineers to tune the gearshift character and achieve best-in-class shift speeds. When EV mode is selected, Valhalla takes drive exclusively from the front axle. There is no reverse gear, rearward drive instead being provided by the front axle E-motors in all drive modes. Valhalla also employs a combination of intelligent Torque-Fill, E-Boost and Loadshift functions to extract maximum performance and efficiency from its hybrid powertrain while delivering the best possible driving experience across Valhalla’s full range of hybrid drive modes. Torque-Fill and E-boost serve to enhance performance and response by using propulsion from the electric motors to support the already prodigious power of the twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The advantages of this state-of-the-art hybrid powertrain become abundantly clear as soon as the driver steps-in to the accelerator, Torque Fill mitigating even the most fleeting moment of turbo lag with instant torque fed from the electric motors until the turbochargers are delivering the required level of boost. E-boost extends the operation of Torque-Fill to enable the total tractive power to exceed the maximum deliverable by the internal combustion engine alone. Use of E-boost is managed to ensure its effect remains consistent, with Loadshift and braking regeneration used to replenish what electrical energy has been expended. Utilising the P2.5 electric motor incorporated within the DCT, Loadshift monitors energy expenditure and usage to ensure it is stored or deployed to best effect. In most normal steady-state driving situations the load on the V8 engine can be minimised to achieve improved fuel consumption. When load increases surplus energy is stored in the HV battery. When the engine’s operating efficiency is low – such as idling or in slow moving stop-start traffic – the engine switches-off automatically and electric drive is engaged whilst in Sport mode. Brake regeneration further increases efficiency by harvesting kinetic energy during braking or deceleration events and storing it in the HV battery for later deployment. To optimise Valhalla’s thermal management, there’s an extensive cooling network throughout the car regulating the Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain to ensure the driver can extract the ultimate performance. Three high temperature radiators are located at the front of the car for the 4.0-litre Twin-Turbo V8 engine, arranged across the nose of the vehicle, with a smaller radiator for the HV system and a condenser for the refrigerant system, cooling the cabin and the battery. Hidden inside the clamshell as no airflow is required, a further chiller for the battery is fed by the refrigerant system, with the AC system chilling the coolant. The F1® inspired roof scoop feeds two air charge coolers mounted directly above the engine. When designing this component, a new mounting strategy was employed to save more than 5kg. Completing the extensive network are the two side radiators, fed by air guided along the side of the car by the door turning vanes, the left-hand cooler for the engine oil and the right-hand cooler for the transmission oil. Page 1 of 3 Next >> |
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