Pride of the Valkyries: Legendary engine builder Cosworth will make just 150 custom V-12s [tr]

Popular Mechanics ^ | January 29, 2019 | Matthew Jancer

[C19fan]

When a new supercar arrives, the motor gets the glory. Which is as it should be—anytime an automaker throws big money into designing an exotic spaceframe and 200-mile-per-hour bodywork, it needs muscle to match. The wrong engine, meanwhile, can sink a supercar's reception and reputation (look at the Jaguar XJ220 for a lesson in how a whole car suffers if it's got a weak heart).

Aston Martin can't be accused of skimping on the heart of its new halo car, the $3.2 million, out-of-this-world Valkyrie. The new supercar's motor spins out 1,000 horsepower on its way to an 11,100 RPM red line, the highest yet seen in a road car. And this monster is all motor, no turbos or superchargers to be found.

[C19fan]

1,000 HP for a street car. The original Rolls Royce Merlin produced 1,000 HP.

[Billthedrill]

1,000 horsepower on its way to an 11,100 RPM red line...

Lord have mercy. Well, that would certainly get the kiddies to soccer practice in time.

[DaxtonBrown]

There are now plenty of 1000 plus horsepower cars. Look up Cletus McFarland on youtube. Or Finnegan’s Garage.

[Openurmind]

Difference here... Custom or Production.

[rockrr]

The photographer seems to like pipes ;’}

[Openurmind]

There have been two major influences of modern car design. Cosworth for engines and Baja for suspension.

[Disambiguator]

GM built a prototype Cadillac with a 1000 hp V16. It never saw production (too bad).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Sixteen

Now you buy a crate engine that is similar:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2017/02/build-cadillac-sixteen-14-liter-ls/

[SunkenCiv]

A V-12 engine is mechanically balanced, 1000 bhp seems a little high, unless the car itself weighs three tons.

The sound of Aston Martin Valkyrie
TopGear
Published on Oct 3, 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVH_EwAVIEQ

European emission standards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_emission_standards

[LibWhacker]

Okay, getting a Powerball ticket tomorrow... But how much will I, a nobody, have to offer them above their 3.2 ask to drive one home? Almost all of them will be going to celebs and Saudi sheiks.

[cymbeline]

“GM built a prototype Cadillac with a 1000 hp V16.”

I don’t see much point in a lot of cylinders except the more the smoother the engine. Eight big cylinders can give the same power as 12 or 16 smaller ones.

The Rolls Royce Merlin engine is a 12-cylinder V engine. I think the large number of smaller cylinders and shorter strokes gave a narrower engine which was needed for the aircraft it was used in.

The long crankshafts of v12 and v16 engines can have torsional flex that limits the torque imulses that can be applied by the pistons.

I am skeptical that a 12 cylinder engine is inherently capable of more power output than, say, an 8 cylinder.

[yarddog]

They think 550 HP is weak? I had to look it up.

If a person wants 1000 HP they should be able to buy it but it sounds a bit of ridiculous to me.

[Moonman62]

Lord have mercy. Well, that would certainly get the kiddies to soccer practice in time.

...

A nice helicopter could be leased for $3.2 million.

[mowowie]

where does Cletus get all that cash for that stuff?
He running that whole operation in the garage?
Must have great credit..
Daddy rich?

[Openurmind]

Ever shoe horn a 351 Windsor and auto into a Pinto runabout? Now that is a little high output for the car. lol

Did two of these, straight line cars only. :)

My funnest I ever did was shoe horning a 500 horse power V8 small block and auto trans in an early Z car. :)

My wife made me get rid of that one “before I killed myself” lol

[Ace's Dad]

My first race car, a Lotus Elite GT had a Coventry Climax FWE engine. Exact horsepower unknown, as it was a factory team car that ran in the USA. I couldn't afford to keep it legal (I was a college student) and took a loss.

One of the few things I'm sorry I couldn't keep. The showroom cars were listed as 114 MPH. I could get 145 MPH! Scared $h***less the first time. "Rock steady" at that speed.

[doorgunner69]

If a person wants 1000 HP they should be able to buy it but it sounds a bit of ridiculous to me.

Except those buying it are likely that last ones that know how to drive it. Like most of the gold chain Corvette and Porsch drivers. Youtube has plenty of videos of these clowns losing control.

[Shark24]

Has Cosworth ever gotten over it’s Vega experience? :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Cosworth_Vega

[A strike]

British cars, classic but junk.

[chrisser]

Even with today's top turbo tech, including the lowest-lag systems designed to mitigate the delay between pressing the throttle pedal and receiving the turbo's extra power, there remains some lag as the turbo spools up

I think this is a neat engine, and I distrust journalists to get any story right these days.

That said, if one wants to eliminate turbo lag, a far easier way is to incorporate a small engine-driven supercharger for lower RPM with a large turbocharger optimized for higher RPM. Matched correctly, the boost can meet whatever target is required across the RPM range. With a little computer-managed boost control, you can bleed off the excess of either/both to customize the boost curve.

This might not be conventional, but it's been done by several advanced hot rodders already - should be easy enough for Aston Martin to accomplish.

Unless you want to find a reason to create a V12 engine from scratch...

[mt tom]

had 73 pinto wagon 2000cc with a air research to4 turbo. copper o-ringed head; water injected,.weber two stage corvair turbo exhaust about 11#boost dry pavement at 30mph both hands on the wheel wet pavement stayed out of boost turbo went south put it back stock except for the exhaust it wasn’t ca, smog legal we still had the guestopo highway check points