The Aston Martin Valkyrie LM Is A Le Mans Hypercar You Can Buy

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is just around the corner, and those heading to the race are preparing for a sleepless night as a howling naturally aspirated V12 returns to the top class in the Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar racer.

Clearly, it’s a car that’s captured a lot of hearts and got people wishing they could have a go themselves. Well, now 10 particularly wealthy individuals can – just about – because Aston has announced the Valkyrie LM, a customer track day version of the Le Mans racer.

The LM is, to a large extent, identical to the car that’ll be attempting to run around the clock at Le Sarthe this weekend. It has the same chassis, the same pushrod suspension, the same screaming 697bhp 6.5-litre Cosworth-built V12 (shorn of the road car’s hybrid system) and the same seven-speed sequential paddleshift gearbox.

It differs in its efforts to be more approachable for people who haven’t necessarily been racing karts since they were barely out of nappies. It has a new cockpit interface designed specifically for track day use, and the regulation torque sensors that manage the race car’s power delivery have been replaced by an adjustable system that lets drivers tweak how much of a wallop they get when tickling the accelerator.

The engine has been lightly fettled to accept whatever fuel’s readily available at a track, rather than just the finest pure, uncut race fuel used in the World Endurance Championship. The cockpit, meanwhile, has been reworked for easier access and better visibility, but still has a full suite of FIA-approved safety gear. Finally, things that are only really needed for race homologation, like the ballast and FIA-spec electronics, have been binned off.

Unlike certain other manufacturers’ customer track programmes, owners of the Valkyrie LM will be able to take full possession of their car should they wish. However, Aston’s also launching the Valkyrie LM Performance Club next year, a track day programme that’ll see Aston look after the cars and provide driver training both on a sim and at dedicated track sessions around the world.

Aston’s head of endurance racing, Adam Carter, said: “It is important to emphasise that the Valkyrie LM is close to identical to the race car that is currently competing in WEC and IMSA, with only a few minor deviations to ensure it is a non-homologated variant and is accessible for customers to experience and enjoy. Valkyrie LM represents the most authentic Hypercar track experience that is now available.”

It’s not the only one, though: Ferrari offers the 499P Modificata, a track day version of its own double Le Mans-winning Hypercar. Ferrari hasn’t said how many of those it’s building, but Aston’s only doing 10 Valkyrie LMs.

Naturally, the cost of one is a mystery, and frankly, probably doesn’t matter. Although Aston hasn’t confirmed it, there’s a good chance all 10 have long had some of the company’s most valued customers’ names attached to them. Hopefully, you’ll at least get the chance to see – and hear – one at a racetrack near you soon.