Aston Martin's AM-RB 003 Is Probably Going to Be Named "Valhalla"

0 0 Editorial Team March 21, 2019 Edit this post

© Automobile Magazine Staff
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By Collin Woodard, Automobile

Aston Martin chose the Geneva motor show this year to reveal its latest mid-engine hypercar concept, the AM-RB 003. But like the AM-RB 001 that became the Valkyrie, we fully expect the AM-RB 003 to get a more traditional name by the time it goes on sale. So far, Aston Martin has yet to officially announce what the production 003 will be called, but from the sound of it, the British automaker plans to once again dip into Norse mythology for a moniker.

Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer strongly hinted at a possible name for the AM-RB 003 even though he didn't officially confirm anything. "Valhalla is a name we have registered in our naming book," said Palmer. It doesn't appear that Aston Martin has trademarked the name in the U.S. yet, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything either way.

And while Aston Martin has already said the AM-RB 003's performance will "meet and surpass existing top-end hypercar rivals," it sounds like weight will be a more significant factor than horsepower. "One of the things about working with [Adrian Newey, chief engineer for Red Bull's Formula 1 team], is the F1 obsession with weight, beyond anything I've seen in the car industry. It's changed our thinking," said Palmer.

That focus on reducing weight is also why Aston Martin's next hypercar will come with a phone mount instead of a conventional infotainment system. "In those kind of cars, you are trying to out to take weight out where you can. You have already got the smartphone in your pocket," Palmer told Automotive News Europe.