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| © Automobile Magazine Staff Aston-Martin-Project-003_05.jpg |
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.
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| © Automobile Magazine Staff |
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.
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| © Automobile Magazine Staff |
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.
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| © Automobile Magazine Staff |
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.
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| © Automobile Magazine Staff |
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| © Automobile Magazine Staff |
