This Is the AM-RB 003, Aston Martin’s Mid-Engine Hypercar

Aston Martin us has been teasing us for months about its upcoming mid-engine hypercar to follow the Valkyrie. Now, we finally get to see it in full. This is the AM-RB 003. Packing a mid-mounted turbocharged V-6 hybrid powertrain, it’s set to go into production in 2021 with a limited run of 500 units.

Aston Martin says the 003 is heavily influenced by the Valkyrie, using much of the same technology and fundamental design cues. The fascia and profile lines are similar, though the 003’s overall shape is less severe than the Valkyrie. “The design isn’t as extreme in some areas, but it pushes just as hard in others, and is even taking certain ideas and concepts a step further,” Miles Numberger, director of design, said in a press release.

The most interesting part has got to be the rear wing. It’s equipped with something called FlexFoil, a NASA-validated aerospace tech that promises leaps in aerodynamic performance. Here’s how Aston explains it:

The system allows for the car’s downforce to be changed without changing the physical angle of the entire element, resulting in a seamless design with high performance, improved efficiency and reduced wind noise. Turbulence and the associated drag increase found in current “state of the art” active wing designs is virtually eliminated too.

While the exterior is certainly a treat to look at, it’s inside the cockpit where the differences between this and the Valkyrie become clear. The 003’s passenger compartment is larger and more accommodating, with space behind the seats for luggage, a center console, and even a place to mount your phone on the dash (why doesn’t every car have this?). There’s also a racing-inspired steering wheel full of vehicle controls and a display screen in the hub. Also note the cool wing-shaped paddle shifters.

Aston Martin hasn’t disclosed many performance specs on this upcoming hypercar, but the automaker revealed that the new turbocharged V-6 was fully designed in-house. It will use Castrol’s Nexcel 90-second oil change system, which was first tested on the track-only Vulcan. The 003 will be the first production road car to use the system.

Expect to see the first 003s on the road in late 2021. But don’t expect it to keep the name—like the Valkyrie, the numerical designation is only for internal purposes, and a more memorable name will be revealed soon.

By: Brian Silvestro, March 5, 2019

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Source: https://www.roadandtrack.com/