Aston Martin Valhalla review

The aerodynamic concept necessitates that inboard front suspension and creates the prototype-racer style driving position. It’s not extreme as in a Valkyrie and, for us, just adds a little layer of excitement. The windscreen is very shallow but visibility is actually good and there’s a camera system for the rear view mirror, too.

The dramatic doors give pretty easy ingress to the cabin and the carbon fibre seats look extreme but have plenty of cushioning and support for longer journeys. Once you’ve dropped into them there’s plenty of room, too. Headroom, even with a helmet on, is surprisingly good.

The cabin itself is very simple, bordering on minimalist. For owners who also have a Vanquish or DB12 (of which there will be many), it might feel a little too cold and austere. Certainly, there’s room for a slightly more luxurious, artistic or playful feeling with materials and design touches.

However, the predominantly carbon fibre architecture is mirrored inside, with exposed weave (or in the case of our car the curious ‘forged’ carbon first seen in Lamborghinis) pretty much everywhere. It looks technical but not super inspiring.

The steering wheel is pretty cool, though. At first it feels a little too chunky but we soon came to enjoy the feel. It’s not fully round, of course, but it does a great job of balancing functionality with a bit of motorsport-cool. The paddles are long and have a nice action and turn with the wheel. The only downside is our thumb would inadvertently scroll between various screens for the display. Annoying.

The dash and centre screen themselves are clear and easy to use and the smartphone interface seems relatively quick and easy. On track there are much-needed shift lights plus all the info you need, including tyre pressures.