Aston’s million-dollar hypercar proves it’s more than just a pretty face by demolishing the competition around Top Gear’s famous test track

Key Points:

New champion: Valkyrie sets all-time lap record for production cars at Top Gear test track
Otherworldly power: 1,160hp V12 hybrid powertrain delivers Formula 1-inspired performance
Unicorn status: Limited production run of just 150 examples makes this record-breaker extremely rare
Historic achievement: Marks a pivotal moment for Aston Martin in the hypercar performance wars

Look, I’m not easily impressed by lap records these days. Every manufacturer with a PR department and a racing driver on speed dial seems to be setting some obscure “record” on whatever track will have them.

But when Aston Martin’s Valkyrie decimates the Top Gear test track record? That’s something worth paying attention to.

So what was the time then? Well, according to a recent Top Gear video (see it below), the Aston Martin Valkyrie got a time of 1:09.6 (1 minute and 9.6 seconds) around the Top Gear track, which is just shy of the Ferrari FXX, which was released 20 years ago and holds a 1 minute and 10.7 seconds on the leaderboard. I guess this also proves how mental and ahead of its time the FXX truly was.

Still, this isn’t just any track record for Aston Martin, because the Top Gear circuit has seen everything from million-dollar hypercars like the FXX to bargain-basement hot hatches tear around its tarmac. It’s become the great equalizer in the performance car world, which makes the Valkyrie’s achievement all the more impressive. This isn’t some manufactured marketing exercise on a random stretch of German autobahn—this is the real deal.

For those who’ve been living under a rock (or maybe just driving something sensible), the Valkyrie represents Aston Martin’s most extreme creation yet. Developed in partnership with Red Bull Racing’s technical genius Adrian Newey, it’s essentially an F1 car wearing the thinnest possible veneer of road legality.

At its heart beats a naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 that howls to 11,000 RPM like it’s 1995 and we’re watching Schumacher qualify at Monaco. Combined with its hybrid system, you’re looking at 1,160 horsepower in a package that weighs about the same as a Honda Civic.

What’s particularly mind-blowing about the Valkyrie isn’t just the raw numbers—it’s the engineering philosophy. While other manufacturers have embraced turbocharging and electrification to achieve silly horsepower figures, Aston Martin went the purist route with that high-revving naturally aspirated V12. It’s like bringing a perfectly balanced katana to a gunfight and somehow still winning.

What makes this achievement even more special is that the Valkyrie isn’t some stripped-out track special that needs a team of engineers to start up. Similarly to its 1079 HP PHEV sibling, the Valhalla, it’s a fully road-legal car that you could theoretically drive to the supermarket (though good luck finding parking for your $3 million hypercar between bland-looking SUVs and that guy who parks diagonally across two spaces).

For Aston Martin, this record represents a massive statement. The brand has long been associated with beautiful GT cars that James Bond would choose for a casual drive to Montenegro, not necessarily the kind of hardcore performance machines that trade blows with Ferrari and McLaren. The Valkyrie changes that narrative completely, positioning Aston Martin at the absolute pinnacle of performance car engineering.

Only 150 buyers will ever get to own a Valkyrie, meaning this is one of those cars that most of us will only ever see behind velvet ropes at shows or screaming past on a track day if we’re extremely lucky. It’s the automotive equivalent of Halley’s Comet—rare, spectacular, and something you’ll tell your grandkids about seeing.

Interesting Stats/Facts:

Did you know? The Valkyrie’s naturally-aspirated V12 engine revs to an astounding 11,000 RPM, making it the highest-revving production car engine currently available, delivering a Formula 1-like shriek that’ll make your spine tingle.
Engineering marvel: The Valkyrie’s aerodynamics generate more downforce than the car’s actual weight at high speed, theoretically allowing it to drive upside down in a tunnel (though please don’t try this, even if you can afford one).
Owner experience: Valkyrie buyers undergo an extensive fitting process where their seat is custom-molded to their body, similar to the process used for professional racing drivers.