The Aston Martin AM-RB 001 hypercar that was the designated star car at last month’s Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto has been Christened, and it shall henceforth be known as Valkyrie.
The name continues the Aston Martin tradition of naming its cars with “V” monikers, a practice that began back in 1951 with the term Vantage used to distinguish the 19% improvement in performance over the standard engine of the DB2.
The Vantage became a distinct model in 1972-73, on a version of the DBS (only 71 were produced), and a standalone model in 2005. Other V-cars include Virage, Vanquish and Vulcan. And, of course, Aston Martin convertibles are designated Volante.
“Aston Martin model names have deep meaning. They need to inspire and excite. To tell a story and enrich a narrative that stretches back some 104-years,” explains Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman. “The Aston Martin Valkyrie is an incredibly special car that demands an equally remarkable name; an uncompromising car that leaves nothing in reserve. The connotations of power and honour, of being chosen by the gods are so evocative, and so pertinent to a car that only a fortunate few will ever experience.”
The name Valkyrie comes from Norse mythology, where the Valkyries were maidens who chose which warriors lived and died on the field of battle, bringing the slain warriors to the halls of Valhalla for them to prepare for Ragnarok — the fall of the gods.
However, today and in this context, Valkyrie is not meant to symbolize is not a symbol of the past but an expression of modern technology, so it still promises out of this world performance (albeit not in the shadow of the end of days).
Valkyrie is the result of a collaboration between Aston Martin, Red Bull Advanced Technologies, AF Racing and other global leaders in technology. Limited to 150 cars (including prototypes and race cars), the Valkyrie is expected to start deliveries in 2018.