Just a few days before Aston Martin bids for outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it has revealed a very special version of the endurance racer that will be sold to customers. The new Valkyrie LM is a track-only car stripped of the need for race homologation but sold with an immersive package of racetrack experiences for the lucky 10 clients that get to own one. At an approximate price of €6 million apiece - before local taxes...
So it's a watered-down WEC racer?
No. The technical specification suggests anything but. The same Cosworth-developed 6.5-litre V12 engine as used in the Le Mans Hypercar produces the same 707hp in the Valkyrie LM, using a dry-sump oil system. Though it will be possible to run the naturally aspirated engine on normal fuel due to a recalibration.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed sequential gearbox and a mechanical limited-slip differential. It comes with a semi-automatic paddle-shift gearchange system, too, as in the proper racer.
Just like the WEC and IMSA car, the LM features a carbon-monocoque survival cell and a high-speed pneumatic jack system, along with a double-wishbone suspension layout using pushrod-actuated torsion bar springs. It will be adjustable of course, though optimised for trackday driving.
Supporting that are carbon brake discs and pads, along with unique six-pot brake calipers. They're hidden behind a set of forged aluminium wheels of 18-inch diameter wearing a bespoke Pirelli track tyre.
Adam Carter, Aston Martin's Head of Endurance Motorsport said: “It is important to emphasise that the Valkyrie LM is close to identical to the race car that is currently competing in WEC and IMSA, with only a few minor deviations to ensure it is a non-homologated variant and is accessible for customers to experience and enjoy.”
Ah, so it probably hasn't got that new Apply CarPlay Ultra system?
I'm afraid not, though the cabin has received a few changes to make it more usable and accessible for the 10 buyers. Not that you'd know it to glance inside, as it's still very much a stripped-back racer. There's a proper carbon-fibre steering wheel festooned with buttons and knobs and what look like deliciously tactile adjustment controls for the suspension and brake bias.
Each owner gets a custom carbon-fibre race seat with a six-point FIA safety harness and their own HANS (Head And Neck Support) device, plus a helmet, suit, boots, moulded earpieces, gloves and even fireproof underwear.
So these things are designed to be driven? Like, properly driven?
It would appear so. Though the 10 buyers are free to take their Valkyrie LM home and display it as a piece of art if they so wish, Aston Martin hopes they'll take part in its bespoke programme of events at F1-spec tracks around the world. There will be one-on-one coaching, lots of track time and even a few social events with other high-net-worth individuals that like to drive cars quick enough to take on Le Mans.
Indeed, acknowledging how time-poor some of these high-flyers might be, Aston is planning to operate the programme on a “fly-in-and-drive” basis, with hints at an elite-level luxury experience throughout. The first opportunity to drive the Valkyrie LM will be in the second quarter of 2026, with two further supported track days next year.
Do they get to tackle the Circuit de la Sarthe?
No word on that, but no doubt some of the buyers will be in France next week to see the Valkyrie Hypercar compete at Le Mans. Incidentally, Aston is very proud of the fact that the Valkyrie is the only road-based racer in the class and, though the brand has been part of endurance racing and the 24-hour race for decades, the 2025 entry is the first time since 1959 that it is competing for outright victory.