2022 Aston Martin Vantage on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin Valkyrie officially makes 1,160 horsepower

The Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar will have a total system output of 1,160 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. We knew the raw figure from the naturally aspirated V12 engine was 1,000 horsepower, but a few details on the KERS-style hybrid assistance system were released today. In doing the math, this means the single electric motor mounted in the gearbox is responsible for adding 160 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque to the equation. Aston says the electric motor and battery pack were developed with the help of Integral Powertrain Ltd and Rimac as suppliers and partners. We all know Rimac for its ridiculous electric supercars it has made, so it looks to be a smart partnership for now. Peak combined power is made at a dizzying 10,500 rpm, with peak torque coming in at a still-high 6,000 rpm. If you missed out on the engine breakdown from this past December, then know the 6.5-liter V12 will keep spinning until 11,100 rpm. We're guessing this race-car-like number drops your jaws, just as it does ours. Cosworth and Aston Martin teamed up to create this beauty of an engine — sound clips of it running make us think we're listening to historical Formula 1 footage; it's that good. This news comes ahead of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show next week, which could prove itself a launching pad for even more information to be learned about the Aston Martin hypercar. At this point we know there will be an even more exclusive AMR Pro track-only variant and a track pack option for the "normal" Valkyrie, which isn't all that normal itself. It's expected to weigh a light 2,200 pounds and have an unrestricted top speed of 254 mph. Aston appears to be continuing development on the car, so don't consider those final quite yet. Related video:

AMG's partnership with Aston Martin won't extend past engines, for now

There's been talk of late about the technical partnership between Aston Martin and the AMG division of Mercedes-Benz going beyond engines to include Mercedes sports car and SUV platforms for the English brand, perhaps as a way to kickstart the development of a Lagonda SUV. But AMG CEO Tobias Moers, speaking to Top Gear, said that's effectively out of the question because, "No one has the time to discuss any more involvement than that for now."
Moers believes Aston Martin will be so busy "for the next two to three years" integrating its AMG-sourced engine and electronics that it won't have the resources to devote to working out a platform-sharing deal; Daimler sources have already said that Aston Martin's development budget "just isn't enough" to even consider a whole new model, and that greater cooperation would require something like a larger ownership stake in the boutique sports car maker.
AMG, in the meantime, is busy with the recent launch of the GLA45 AMG, the coming C63 AMG and its rumored 4.0-liter V8, the Mercedes-AMG GT and its assault on the Porsche 911 among who-knows-what other skunkworks projects. Moers said the technical partnership is about profit for AMG, clear and simple, and, "All these rumors about platform sharing are nice but no one at Aston or Mercedes has the time to discuss them."

Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari 512M and more immortalized as Lego sets

Lego has announced a slew of new Speed Champions sets, the ones based on actual licensed cars, for 2022. The latest batch includes a smorgasbord of supercars, from beloved classics like the Lamborghini Countach to yet-to-be-released promises like the long-awaited Mercedes-AMG One. There are seven cars in total, released in five sets.  Our favorite is probably the 262-piece Lamborghini Countach, based on a later LP500 variant. Not only does it tick the box of a childhood dream machine, but the angular shape of the real-life Countach lends itself well to being recreated in Lego bricks. Also, it's modeled in white rather than the typical red. Lego Speed Champions Ferrari 512M 1 View 6 Photos We also really dig the Ferrari 512M. It marked the last of Ferrari's V12 endurance racers, and even though it was soundly spanked by the Porsche 917, the cars are undeniably beautiful. The 291-piece Lego set does a great job of capturing its brutal wedge silhouette in brick form. Lego Speed Champions Lotus Evija 1 View 5 Photos Rounding out the single-car sets is the 247-piece Lotus Evija. The electric Lotus has a bit of a generic supercar look about it, but that's not entirely the fault of the Lego kit. Its dramatic vents can't really be replicated with the limited "resolution" of the Lego bricks. Its rear, with unique taillight-encircled air tunnels, is a bit more distinctive. Lego Speed Champions Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR & Vantage GT3 1 View 7 Photos In addition to the single car sets, there are two larger sets of two cars each. One is a 592-piece Aston Martin-themed pack that includes the Valkyrie AMR Pro and Vantage GT3. Again, it's a bit difficult to sculpt the cars' curvaceous lines out of straight-edged bricks, but the effort is admirable. The Valkyrie is probably the more successful of the two, as the Vantage would resemble a Corvette or Viper if it didn't have stickers to clarify the details. Lego Speed Champions Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance & Project One 01 View 9 Photos Last but not least is a twofer comprised of 564 bricks to build the Mercedes-AMG One and seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton's W12 racer. In Lego's official product description the driver is not mentioned by name, but the number 44 gives it away. The model of the One indeed looks like a sharp supercar, but the blocky pieces don't exactly replicate the lines we've seen on camouflaged test mules.