Aston Martin ValhallaAndrew MorganFriday night: I'm lying in bed, buzzing like an old fridge. Not because I'd accidentally replaced my bloodstream with espresso and Haribo, but because I'd just spent an entire day driving the Aston Martin Valhalla across France.It's quite the machine, but should you add one to your collection?What Is The Aston Martin Valhalla?Some say it's a sports car; others say supercar, while most say hypercar. I'd agree with the latter, as this has too much F1 DNA.AdvertisementAdvertisementAston Martin developed the Valhalla with its Aramco F1 team. This means it has clever active aero systems that can generate over 600 kg of downforce at 149 mph. At its core is a twin-turbocharged hybridized V8 that's mated to three electric motors. When everything's working, it produces a stonking 1,064 bhp.Then there's its bodywork. Its proportions are low, wide, and compact, giving it a purposeful stance without looking overly dramatic. Its nose sits very close to the ground, with large aerodynamic elements integrated into the design rather than attached as separate pieces. The surfaces are clean and sharp, directing airflow around and through the car.Aston Martin ValhallaAlong the sides, deep-sculpted channels are among the most distinctive features. Instead of relying on large decorative intakes, the bodywork is carved away to create air pathways, giving the car a technical, almost architectural appearance. These openings add visual drama while clearly serving an aerodynamic purpose.Toward the back, the design becomes more aggressive. Large vents, openings, and aerodynamic tunnels dominate the rear bodywork, creating a sense of lightness despite the car's width. The rear fenders are muscular without being bulky, and the tail has a clean, modern appearance that avoids excessive ornamentation.AdvertisementAdvertisementGood Lord, it makes you tingle. Even standing still, it looks like it's doing 200-plus mph.Driving The Aston Martin ValhallaIt took a surprisingly long six minutes of bodywork fondling before I found the door handles, cleverly concealed beneath the air channels carved into each side. The dihedral doors opened towards the sky, and I folded my 5'11 frame into the car's cockpit.At first, the Valhalla's cabin feels quite small; there's not much of a gap between the steering wheel and the top of the windscreen, resulting in a letterbox-like view. However, this is something you soon forget about once on the open road.While navigating France's tight streets, I was soon reminded of the Aston's sheer girth. At 2,208mm wide, it's 84mm wider than the already chunky Vantage S. Still, like most Astons, the Valhalla commands respect from other road users: oncoming cars dart out of its path. At the same time, camera-equipped pedestrians throw themselves in front.Aston Martin ValhallaThis wasn't helped by driving around in Sport + mode, as this keeps the engine active, drawing even more attention. If you don't want to wake your neighbors, there's the Pure EV setting. Here, Valhalla will drive on electricity up to 80mph, and has a range of around 9 miles.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile carving through France's countryside while en route to Le Mans, it quickly became apparent that this is not just an artistic hypercar but a work of balance. The Valhalla is a remarkably easy machine to drive, despite it being lower to the ground than a snake's stomach.As the revs climb toward the 7,000-rpm redline, the rear wing deploys, pressing the car harder into the pavement. The engine delivers a deep, purposeful hum rather than an all-out howl as the gears disappear in quick succession. Meanwhile, turbo noise fills the cabin alongside the odd electric motor whine. Through it all, there's an incredible amount of feedback, even at high speeds. It's genuinely difficult to describe just how impressive the Valhalla feels on the road without swearing.Even driving over a pothole-ridden stretch of private road, the suspension was seriously impressive. You can soften the dampers independently of the drive mode using a physical button, but it hardly seems necessary given just how good the underlying ride quality is.Aston Martin ValhallaAs it edged closer to Le Mans, the route became less a quiet back road and more a highway. Quietness at 70mph aside, no car has ever drawn as much attention while at the helm. While cruising in the slow lane, cars would speed up, then match your speed to get a photograph. People would hang from windows, encouraging you to do naughty things, and my thumb has never been sorer from back-and-forth gestures.AdvertisementAdvertisementThen the tolls arrived. Unfortunately, at each toll, I had to park the Aston far enough away from the booth so that its doors could open. I'd then clamber out, scan my bank card to get through, get back inside, close the door and drive off. This is but a minor issue, as I got faster at this with each toll.By the journey's end, I was incredibly saddened that my Valhalla experience had come to an end after two whole days of driving. It conjured laughter, smiles, and even the odd tear simply because it's that good.So, should you add an Aston Martin Valhalla to your collection? Yes. Absolutely, but you'd better be fast, as most have sold.This article was originally published on Forbes.com
