Formerly identified by its codename AM-RB 001, Aston Martin has finally revealed the official name of its hypercar being co-developed with Red Bull Racing, called the Aston Martin Valkyrie.
The Valkyrie name continues a tradition of Aston Martin ‘V’ cars. This began back in 1951 with Vantage, which was selected as a name to distinguish high performance variants of the then current model, the DB2. Boasting 125bhp versus 105bhp for the standard engine, the Vantage represented a significant increase in performance and desirability. The first time the Vantage badge appeared was on the side of the DB5.
It remained a name reserved for the most potent model derivatives until 2005, when the Vantage became a model line in its own right. 12 years later the acclaimed family of V8 and V12-powered models has made the Vantage the most successful model in Aston Martin’s history.
Virage, Vanquish and the Aston Martin Vulcan – Aston Martin’s very own God of fire – are more recent ‘V’ cars to continue this lineage. Now, 7 decades after the Vantage name started it all, the Aston Martin Valkyrie propels this uniquely distinctive and lyrical family of model names to another level.
According to Old Norse mythology, Valkyrie literally means “chooser of the slain”. In the battlefields, Valkyries are Odin’s handmaidens who chose which warriors live and die and bring some of the fallen to the afterlife in Odin’s Valhalla.
“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. 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,” said Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman.
Due to launch later this year, the Aston Martin Valkyrie is limited to only 150 units worldwide of which all of them have already been spoken for.
