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2025 Aston Martin Valiant

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A few days ago, Aston Martin presented a track-focused road car that is legal for road driving, the Aston Martin Valiant. Only 38 units will be produced and it will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which will take place on July 11-14, 2024.

Design-wise, the Valiant looks much more aggressive than the Valour that was introduced in 2023 for the company’s 110th birthday. It is equipped with a number of new carbon details such as a new splitter, a wing near the front wheels, a new full-length front grille, new mudguards, sills inspired by Formula 1, a fixed rear wing and a new carbon diffuser. The interior also features plenty of carbon details while the central tunnel allows a view of the gearbox components. There are also Recaro Podium seats and four-point seat belts, and there is a three-spoke steering wheel in front of the driver.

Aston Martin has also worked a lot on the handling and driving characteristics of the Valiant, so all examples will be equipped with Multimatic Adaptive Spool Valve dampers, which make adjustments in less than 6 milliseconds, recalibrated Sport, Sport+ and Track driving modes, carbon ceramic discs as standard, and massive 410 mm front and 360 mm rear discs. It is mounted on 21″ magnesium rims, which are 14 kilograms lighter.

When it comes to the powertrain, under the bonnet is a 5.2-L V12 engine with 745 hp (556 kW) and 555 lb-ft (753 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. It should be noted that the Valiant is 30 hp more powerful than the Aston Martin Valour.

Source: Aston Martin

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2025 Aston Martin Valiant
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The new Freelander is an EV but not a Land Rover

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From 1997 to 2015, Land Rover produced a compact SUV built on a body-on-frame chassis, the Land Rover Freelander. 14 years later this model is coming back but as a series of electric vehicles that will be produced in China.

Land Rover in China has a partner company and EV manufacturer, Chery, which will produce electric cars based on its own platform but as a separate sub-brand. The goal is mainstream electric vehicles, more affordable than what Land Rover currently offers. Design-wise, the cars will be a combination of Land Rover and Chery.

These two companies have been cooperating for years, since 2012, and the result of that partnership is the Discovery Sport, Evoque, E-Pace, and extended XF and XE models. Little is known about the Freelander, but some media in China say it could be mechanically related to the Exeed, a Chery sub-brand that will arrive in Europe by 2026.

It should also be noted that initially the cars will be sold only in China, but there are plans to export them to the global market.

Source: Land Rover

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The EU is changing tariffs on EVs made in China

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At the beginning of June, the EU announced additional tariffs of up to 38.1% on electric cars imported from China, but according to information from some media, that decision could be changed.

Currently, imported cars made in China have a 10 percent tariff. However, as of July 4, this rate will rise to as much as 38 percent in some cases. For example, BYD will pay 17.4 percent, Geely 20 percent, and SAIC, which with the help of former British brand MG is by far the biggest seller in Europe, will pay 38.1 percent. Other brands that were cooperative will pay a 21 percent duty, and those that refused will pay 38.1 percent.

In 2023, the European Commission launched an investigation into the privileged position of electric vehicles produced in China due to subsidies. “These can also be vehicles from other manufacturers if they have used subsidies in China,” said Executive Vice President of the European Commission for an Economy Valdis Dombrovskis.

According to Bloomberg, manufacturers that cooperated during the investigation will have lower tariffs (20.8% instead of 21%). However, those who refused to cooperate will have tariffs of 37.6 percent instead of the original 38.1 percent. It should also be noted that these tariffs are temporary and that the EU will make a new decision on permanent tariffs by the end of the year.

Source: Bloomberg