"It's not everyday you pull over a prototype Aston Martin." That quote is taken word-for-word from the Emery County Sheriff's Office on Facebook just before Thanksgiving, after Deputy Dylan Keele and Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Dakota Adams pulled over a $1.5 million Aston Martin Valhalla Prototype that was reportedly driving recklessly.
The stop was made on Interstate 70 near Green River, Utah, which is about 50 miles from Moab, where many off-road enthusiasts take their Jeeps and other vehicles.
"The vehicle was being tested and adjusted while driving through our area. Deputy Keele was able to instruct the driver on proper driving etiquette and take care of some business. It was a fun experience for the cops."
– Emery County Sheriff's Office
Prototypes Still Have To Obey Laws
This particular Valhalla was not one of the 999 production units, but rather a prototype built to conduct tests prior to customer deliveries. It can be driven on the street, but it must obey the laws like any other car. It's unclear exactly what the driver did to attract the ECSO's attention, but the Valhalla was reportedly "called in for reckless driving."
We are also unclear what the ESCO means by "take care of some business," but it is likely a euphemism for issuing a ticket or at least a warning. The inclusion of the sentence "it was a fun experience for the cops" leads us to believe it was not a confrontational stop that ended negatively. With fewer than 1,000 Valhalla units set to be built globally, chances are these officers may never see another one. If this is a prototype owned by Aston Martin, the driver is likely highly skilled, so the police could have been more lenient given the situation.
Launching This Year
Aston Martin says the Valhalla is on-track for a 2025 launch, though with just one month left in the year, time is running out for the British brand to fulfill that promise. The company CEO said deliveries began in October, though CarBuzz could not find any examples were confirmed sold through dealers. The mid-engine sports car has gone through a painfully long birth, having first been teased with a V6 powertrain before landing on the AMG-sourced V8 in the production version.
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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
