Aston Martin confirms McLaren P1-rivalling supercar coming

Aston Martin is secretly working to develop not one, but three all-new mid-engined models in cooperation with Red Bull F1, it has been revealed.

Until now, the British car-maker had only unveiled the Valkyrie hypercar and announced it would create an entry-level supercar to rival the Ferrari 488 but now, according to Brit mag Autocar, Aston will also launch another hypercar that will challenge cars like the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari.

On sale as soon as 2021, the third mid-engined Aston model -- known internally as "brother of Valkyrie" -- will sit below the extreme Valkyrie and be priced around £1 million ($A1.8 million).

News of the firm's second hypercar was confirmed by Aston Martin's CEO, Andy Palmer.

"It's correct – we have more than one mid-engined project underway – more than two, if you count the Valkyrie.

"This new project will draw on the know-how we've taken from the Valkyrie, as well as some of its visual identity and engineering capability, and bring it to a new sector of the market," Palmer told Autocar.

Once again the fruit of a collaboration with Red Bull F1, the latest Aston hypercar has been conceived chiefly to capitalise on the huge demand for the limited-edition Valkyrie that costs three times as much as its 'little brother'.

Likely to be limited to around 500 cars, Aston's P1 rival could share its carbon-fibre tub and bonded aluminium subframes with the smaller mid-engined supercar. But it's expected to be fitted with a more advanced hybrid powertrain that could be based around an electrified version of Mercedes-AMG's 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.

Developed by the same team of 130 Aston Martin designers and engineers who will be based at Red Bull F1 British HQ, the latest hypercar will be created under the watchful eye of former Ferrari chief technical officer, Max Szwaj, and ex-McLaren development driver, Chris Goodwin.