Disenchanted Aston Martin Valkyrie Owner Files A Dramatic Lawsuit
We've all seen a new hypercar and dreamed that, in the right circumstances, we'd gladly make numerous comfort and practicality concessions to experience their brilliance in other areas. But one such buyer in Germany believes the incomparable Aston Martin Valkyrie pushes the limits of one's compromise beyond all reasonable measure. With a Cosworth-developed naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 capable of delivering over 1,000 horsepower at 10,500 rpm (with a redline at 11,100), it's to be expected that the highly strung engine will be fairly loud, but a new lawsuit suggests that the visceral noise it makes is dangerous, and wearing the protective headphones that must be used whenever the car is driven could actually put drivers of the Valkyrie in danger. And that's far from the only issue he's faced in his time owning the car, reports local publication Handelsblatt.
The publication protected the disenchanted owner's identity with the alias Sebastian Kunze. Herr Kunze claims that on the 27th of August, the headphone system failed. As a result of the extreme noise, he alleges, he nearly crashed into an ambulance, despite the latter blowing its horn. The publication did not use the German word for siren, but one should surely be able to hear any car horn when driving anyway. After that encounter, Kunze's lawyer, Marco Rogert, says he hasn't dared drive the car again. Not that Kunze appears to want to, anyway.
Kunze bought the car in February 2022 for €3 million, or around $3.5 million. But in the three years and 271 miles since, he's allegedly had numerous issues. One of the biggest was an issue with the "Rocket Locker," a locking system that keeps the car's hydraulic suspension from sagging when power is cut off. This was allegedly removed without Kunze's knowledge, causing the car to rest on its wheels. He claims this led to visible damage "during transport and visits to the workshop." Following this, and a claim of numerous warning lights related to the high-voltage hybrid system shortly after taking delivery, he wanted to return the car, but then Aston Martin told him to pay a usage fee of roughly €55,000 (~$63,000) for the 441 km/271 miles he'd done.
An Aston Martin statement obtained by Handelsblatt, apparently in response to the cost-per-mile Kunze was asked to pay, reportedly said, "Most owners drive around 300, and certainly no more than 1,000 kilometers per year." Kunze also reportedly took issue with the short service intervals, perhaps not understanding the highly specific nature of this barely legal hypercar. This isn't a Bugatti Tourbillon, meant to crush continents at 250 mph without breaking a sweat or allowing its occupants to. This is an Adrian Newey-designed aerodynamic wonder that does the bare minimum to meet regulations. It's not meant to be used as a daily driver, and Kunze's argument that the Valkyrie had more defects "than all my other cars combined" might seem a little sensational.
Moreover, Aston Martin says that the blame for the damaged wheels lies not at the feet of the Rocket Locker system, but with the owner himself, saying that the car's issues are "typical signs of wear or marks that arise from improper wheel replacement. In this context, we point out that the plaintiff insisted on changing the wheels on the vehicle himself and even purchased a jack set from the defendant specifically for this purpose."
Unfortunately, this case will likely drag on a little longer. The presiding judge suggested a mutual settlement, but after arguments about where the case could be tried, and two earlier attempts by Aston Martin to arrange trade-ins for the Valkyrie, a court ruling of some sort seems to be the objective. Each side has six weeks to submit further statements, and if the Aachen Regional Court declines jurisdiction, the case may have to be argued back in the United Kingdom, where Aston wanted the case heard in the first place.
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