As you all know, Monterey Car Week is when the world’s leading carmakers bring out their very best. As an event that draws car enthusiasts from all over, it makes sense to showcase whatever’s on the way. It can likewise range from cool concepts to bespoke builds. Aston Martin did not waste the opportunity for publicity and unveiled the Valen — an exclusive take on the Vanquish.
In a world where high-performance supercars and hypercars typically opt for a mid-engine layout, the British marque sticks with a front-mounted setup. Of course, we can assume everything is then tuned for optimal weight distribution and superior handling. Behind each of the 150 examples is the Q by Aston Martin team, which speaks highly about the craftsmanship here.
With a legendary custom coachbuilding repertoire to uphold, expect a machine that’s nothing short of spectacular. From a technical viewpoint, the Valen touts a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 good for 838 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. It can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 214 mph.
Even the exhaust note has been carefully curated courtesy of the titanium pipe system. Completing the powertrain is an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox with the Vantage GT4 race car as the template for its shift programming. There is also a drop in weight by 243 lbs. — a significant number when it comes to driving dynamics.
It’s likely from the full carbon fiber bodywork and interior structure revamp. As it currently stands, the press release claims the Valen is “the world’s most powerful front engined production car and the most powerful front-engined Aston Martin in the company’s 113-year history.”
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Images courtesy of Aston Martin
