Here's Your First Look at the Aston Martin Project 003

TopSpeed

By Ciprian Florea

Published Feb 21, 2019

A road-friendly, hybrid supercar

The 2019 Geneva Motor Show is only two weeks away, and automakers are already rolling out teasers of vehicles they will showcase in Switzerland. Among them, there's the Aston Martin Project 003, a new hypercar that the British firm is looking to launch in 2021. We only have a teaser shot and little info right now, but Project 003 looks and sounds exciting, to say the least.

Aston Martin's Third Hypercar the Project 003

As the name suggests, the Project 003 will become Aston Martin's third supercar. It follows the Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro, formerly known as projects 001 and 002. The British firm says Project 003 has its DNA "deeply rooted in concepts and technology currently being developed" for the Valkyrie, but it doesn't say how much it will borrow from the upcoming hypercar.

The Aston Martin Project 003 Will be a More Practical Supercar

Just like the Valkyrie, Project 003 will be built around a lightweight structure, likely based on technology from Formula One. It will also feature active aerodynamics and "outstanding levels of downforce" for a road-legal car. The active suspension will be based on the Valkyrie's.

So is Aston Martin building a special-edition version of the latter? Not exactly. The British firm says the Project 003 is being designed to offer "more practical concessions to road use," meaning it will include space for luggage. It's also being engineered for both left- and right-hand drive, so it will be sold globally. More importantly, it will be a hybrid.

The Aston Martin Project 003 Won't Feature a Naturally Aspirated V-12

This is where Project 003 will be entirely different. While the Valkyrie features a naturally aspirated V-12, the 003 will come with a turbocharged gasoline engine and an electric motor. There's no word as to what unit Aston Martin will use, but the company has two options. Either the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 borrowed from Mercedes-AMG or a brand-new powerplant. The Valkyrie is also some sort of hybrid since it has a KERS system, but the Project 003 will be a pure hybrid with at least one electric motor. It could have two though, in order to obtain a powerful AWD layout.

Information is rather limited here, but the "hypercar" badge should translate into an impressive output. Given its more road-friendly characteristic, Project 003 might not be as powerful as the Valkyrie, which benefits from 1,130 horsepower, but it should have close to 1,000 or even a bit more. It should be light too, maybe just 100 pounds heavier than the 2,271-pound Valkyrie, mostly due to the extra luggage room and other road-friendly features.

The Aston Martin Project 003 Features a Sleek Design

But it doesn't seem like it will borrow too many design cues. The rear end appears to be significantly different, with long and slim taillights, a not-so-aggressive wing, and less muscular rear fenders. But it will have the same layout, with a canopy-style cabin, a roof-mounted intake, and a massive diffuser.

The Aston Martin Project 003 is Limited to 500 Units

Aston Martin plans to build 500 examples of the Project 500. It might not seem like a lot, but it's actually a massive number compared to the Valkyrie. The latter will be built in only 150 units, while the AMR Pro track version will roll out the production line in just 25 examples.