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Aston Martin Valkyrie gets insane 1,100-horsepower AMR Pro model

We still have yet to see the final production version of the road-going Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, but that hasn't stopped Aston from creating an even more extreme version of the already radical car. It's called the Valkyrie AMR Pro, and it's lighter, more powerful, has more downforce, and is only for use on the track. Powering the Valkyrie AMR Pro is a version of the standard car's naturally aspirated hybrid V12. In this guise, Aston says it produces 1,100 horsepower, more than the standard car. That engine won't have much to carry around, either, since Aston is aiming to have the Valkyrie AMR Pro weight just about 1,000 kilograms, or about 2,200 pounds. To hit that weight, Aston is using lighter carbon fiber for the body, carbon fiber control arms, a lighter exhaust, polycarbonate windows, molded seats, and it has removed the HVAC fan and infotainment system. Fortunately, Aston is including heater elements in the windows so that they don't fog up in wet or cool weather. The Valkyrie AMR Pro's body shape is different, too, and it has been changed to increase downforce. It has usual changes such as large front and rear wings. It also has a tall center fin like that found on prototype and F1 race cars. The body itself is wider, too. All told, Aston expects the car to produce over 2,200 pounds of downforce. The combination of all these performance enhancements means the car can achieve a claimed top speed of 225 mph, as well as cornering forces of over 3G. Aston Martin didn't reveal pricing, but it doesn't matter. Aston already sold all 25 Valkyrie AMR Pros it will build. The company says that they'll be delivered sometime in 2020. Related Video:

Continuation Aston Martin DB4 GTs unleashed at Silverstone track day

The first customers for the Aston Martin DB4 GT continuation cars have now gotten to experience track time in them. Aston arranged a customer track day at Silverstone, with five continuation GTs stretching their legs on the legendary circuit. The continuation cars are a 25-car run built by Newport Pagnell's Aston Martin Works, after the original 1959 recipe. The manufacturer has dedicated a two-year international track driving program for the cars, and the next event after Silverstone will be the Rockingham circuit in the UK on June 21. The third track day will take place in Le Mans on July 27 — more tracks will be announced later. The events have driving trainers to instruct DB4 GT owners about handling their cars the way they are supposed to, or as Aston's press release puts it: "They will help customers master driving techniques from an era when track driving was more art than science." Well put. One of the instructors is Aston Martin Racing driver Darren Turner, three-time Le Mans class winner. If you can't quite swing it to get yourself a real continuation Aston, there's also a more modern opportunity waiting to be seized: a DB5 replica based on — of all things — a Honda S2000. As its dimensions are just a bit off, the car seems to be a cross between The Car and a David Brown Speedback, and it retains the S2000 interior. The asking price is an eye-watering $95,000, which is still a lot less than a continuation DB4 GT. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin DB4 Continuation Silverstone trackday News Source: Aston Martin Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance Classics

Aston Martin close to IPO on the London Stock Exchange

According to a report from Sky News, Aston Martin is close to announcing plans to go public with an IPO on the London Stock Exchange. A listing on the New York Stock Exchange has also reportedly been considered. In December of last year, news broke that the company's owners had hired financial advisory firm Lazard to prepare for a potential offering. The report suggests that the British automaker is looking at an offering of $1.29 billion (GBP1 billion) in shares and an overall company valuation of around $6.44 billion (GBP5 billion). An Intention To Float statement could be filed as early as next week, says Sky. Last year was good for Aston Martin, with a total of 5,117 vehicles sold globally, a 58 percent jump from 2016. The company reported pre-tax profits of nearly $112 million (GBP87 million) in 2017. And it is working on a flurry of new products such as the Valkyrie supercar, an upcoming SUV, the new DBS Superleggera (shown above), and even an ultra-exclusive, real-life James Bond gadget-laden DB5. As of right now, Aston Martin's largest investors are I taly's Investindustrial and Kuwait's Investment Dar. Daimler also holds a sizable stake. Aston said it had filed a registration document with Britain's Financial Conduct Authority, a requirement for firms considering an IPO, at a time when the likes of Tesla boss Elon Musk have slammed the additional pressures of being listed. Pending a final decision from the FCA, a prospectus will be published on or around Sept. 20 as the maker of sports cars that can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds hopes to tap into global demand from wealthy buyers who want a slice of the high-end brand. The carmaker hopes to complete the flotation this year, the same target that British Prime Minister Theresa May is working towards to agree a deal for leaving the European Union. Aston sells roughly 25 percent of its cars to the EU and operates its only plant in Gaydon, central England, with a second one due to begin operations in Wales in 2019. "We can demonstrate that Brexit is not a major effect for us," Chief Executive Andy Palmer told Reuters. "If there is a tariff into Europe, it's countered by a tariff into the UK for our competitors so you might lose a little bit of market share in the EU but you pick it up in the UK," he said. Niche carmakers such as Aston and McLaren are more concerned about customs checks than tariffs as they believe many of their buyers can absorb a price hike.