Latest news with #AstonMartinValkyrie
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Disenchanted Aston Martin Valkyrie Owner Files A Dramatic Lawsuit
Disenchanted Aston Martin Valkyrie Owner Files A Dramatic Lawsuit originally appeared on Autoblog. 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. View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article 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. Disenchanted Aston Martin Valkyrie Owner Files A Dramatic Lawsuit first appeared on Autoblog on Jun 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
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. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Fast Lane: New Nissan Leaf preview, Aston Martin Valkyrie as Lego, fastest SUV from Bentley
The third-generation Nissan Leaf will be making its global debut later in June. PHOTO: NISSAN Nissan turns over a new Leaf Ahead of the global unveiling of the third-generation Leaf electric vehicle (EV) at the end of June, Nissan has released the first of a three-part video giving insights into how the new car was created. This includes the target to be able to add 250km of driving range in 14 minutes – the average time a motorist spends to fill up a car with petrol. The latest Leaf uses the CMF-EV platform, which is an architecture shared between Nissan and its alliance partner, Renault. One of the platform's features is how it can be adapted for a crossover, like the Leaf, or a taller sport utility vehicle (SUV). Based on the positive experience with the Nissan Ariya, an electric SUV that uses the CMF-EV, the Leaf may be an EV worth waiting for. Nissan was an early mover in electrification, launching the first-generation Leaf in 2010 and delivering close to 700,000 units globally to date. The replacement cannot come soon enough in Singapore as EV adoption is accelerating. Nissan had six Leaf registrations in 2024, down from 10 units in 2023. Check out the video of the new Leaf at Aston Martin Valkyrie in Lego form The Aston Martin Valkyrie in real life is a 1,140hp hybrid hypercar. PHOTO: ASTON MARTIN The Aston Martin Valkyrie, a hybrid hypercar that was developed with Red Bull Racing Advanced Technologies, lives on as a Lego Technic kit. Consisting of 707 pieces, the finished vehicle measures 29cm long, 13cm wide and 7cm tall. Meant for children aged nine and older, the toy features moving elements like the pistons in its V12 engine, working wheel differential, opening gullwing doors and steerable front wheels. The kit is available at the Lego online store. Production of the actual Valkyrie ended in November 2024 after 275 units. The two-seat, carbon-fibre hypercar uses a Cosworth-developed 6.5-litre V12 engine with hybridisation. This boasts a system output of 1,140hp, enabling the Valkyrie to get from 0-100kmh in 2.5 seconds, something that is not replicated in the Lego model. Motor festival in Modena Italian brands like Ferrari and Maserati will be out in force at the Motor Valley Fest in Modena over the weekend. PHOTO: MASERATI To celebrate illustrious automotive brands such as Ferrari, Maserati and Ducati, Motor Valley Fest 2025 will be held in Modena, Italy, from June 6 to 8 . This is the seventh year that the event is held. The name is a reference to the Emilia-Romagna region in the northern part of Italy, where many evocative motoring brands are based. Ferrari will be exhibiting its F80, a 1,183hp hybrid hypercar, along with other models in the range at the open-air exhibition in the city of Modena. The GT2 Stradale supercar in a unique Powder Nude is the star at the Maserati display, along with the electric GranCrabio Folgore, finished in an Orange Devil hue. Other than the chance to see the exotic cars up close, Motor Valley Fest also features talks and roundtable discussions on automotive industry topics like autonomous driving, automotive supply chain and motorsports. Bentley Bentayga Speed is the carmaker's fastest SUV The Bentley Bentayga Speed with its tuned-up, 4-litre V8 engine is the fastest SUV from the brand. PHOTO: BENTLEY Legend has it that Mr Ettore Bugatti, founder of French supercar brand Bugatti, derided Bentley's entry at the 1930 French Grand Prix as the 'world's fastest lorry' for being heavier than the racers of its day. The Speed, which is the top-of-the-line variant of the Bentley Bentayga range, takes that idea further. The output from the 4-litre, twin-turbo V8 has been cranked up to 641hp, 100hp more than the standard model. This is enough to give the Bentayga a top speed of 310kmh and a 0-100kmh timing of 3.4 seconds. This is an improvement over the previous Bentayga Speed, which had a 6-litre W12 engine that made 626hp and took 3.9 seconds to complete the century sprint. The driving dynamics of the Bentayga are said to have been beefed up to suit its positioning as the performance flagship. For the first time in the model's history, the Speed is equipped with a launch control function and a setting that allows the driver to do 'power drifts' without the safety systems cutting in because it thinks the car is going to crash. In Sport mode, the suspension is 15 per cent stiffer than the standard V8 model's. The Bentley Bentayga Speed is available on indent basis in Singapore with the price on application. The Bentayga V8 is priced at $1.2 million before options and certificate of entitlement. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
NDTV
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
LEGO Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie Is A Toy With A 'Working' V12 Engine
Aston Martin and the LEGO Group have now unveiled their collaborative project, the LEGO Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie. With this, Aston Martin and the LEGO Group have worked to redefine the brand's most iconic hypercar, leveraging the design prowess of the lego maker. The LEGO Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie has been unveiled as part of a wider collaboration between LEGO Technic and Gameloft Asphalt Legends UNITE gaming platform. As part of the partnership, gamers will now be able to play both the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the LEGO version in-game. The Lego version of the hypercar incorporates the key features of the original car. The LEGO Group has put together a 707-piece set to induce real-world-like aerodynamic curves, signature Podium Green livery, functional gullwing doors, and a top-mounted lever that controls the steering. While the LEGO Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie is a toy, it does possess a working V12 engine with moving pistons and a working differential. The Aston Martin and the LEGO Group have now been unveiled and have been slotted for their "official launch" on 1st August 2025. It is said to be priced around USD 60 (Rs 5,000 approx) and will be available with a single color option, which is Podium Green. Prospective customers can place the order via the LEGO Group's official website. While this model may not move on the roads, the LEGO Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie can be a fun drive in the corridors or a showpiece on the bookshelf. The Aston Martin Valkyrie has a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine developed by Cosworth and is paired with a hybrid unit. The hypercar is capable of producing a combined 1,160 hp and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 2.5 seconds, with a top speed exceeding 400 kmph.
The Citizen
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Lego Technic unveils Aston Martin Valkyrie
Lego has unveiled its latest Technic set, which is a detailed recreation of the Aston Martin Valkyrie, courtesy of a partnership with the British marque. Comprising more than 700 pieces, the set meticulously replicates the Valkyrie's iconic aerodynamic shape. The physical model is part of a broader tie-in that includes integration into the mobile racing game Asphalt Legends Unite. Players will be able to race both the real-world Valkyrie and its Lego counterpart in-game, as part of a collaboration between Lego, Aston Martin, and developer Gameloft. The actual Valkyrie needs a little introduction. Co-developed by Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing's Adrian Newey, it combines Formula One technology with road-going usability if that term can be loosely applied to a car producing 838kW and sprinting from 0–100km/h in just 2.5s. Its naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12, built by Cosworth, revs to over 11 000r/min and is assisted by an electric motor in the hybrid system. Related: Lego Unboxes 10 New F1-Inspired Speed Champions Kits In Lego form, the Valkyrie is scaled down but includes several working features. These include a V12 engine with moving pistons, a steering system controlled by a top-mounted lever, and functional gullwing-style doors. It also features the same Podium Green livery seen on the real car. Lego states the set is designed for advanced builders, with the complexity of the build reflecting the technical ambition of the original vehicle. The model is due to go on sale from July 1. As for the gaming crossover, it's not the first time Lego has collaborated with a racing title to extend its physical sets into virtual experiences. However, combining the high-performance Valkyrie with a Lego version may help reach a broader audience, particularly younger fans who may be more familiar with racing games than the hypercar segment. While collaborations like these may be seen as brand-building exercises, they also demonstrate the growing trend of blending physical and digital experiences in the automotive world. For those who cannot afford a multimillion-rand hypercar, a scaled-down version made by Lego offers a far more accessible way to engage with one of the most ambitious cars ever built. Click here and browse thousands of new and used vehicles here with CARmag! The post Lego Technic Unveils Aston Martin Valkyrie appeared first on CAR Magazine.
