WHEN a Formula One world champion says he wants you to build a very special car for him, you jump to it - and that's just what Aston Martin did for Fernando Alonso.

The Spanish ace and current Aston Martin F1 driver, told the company he wanted a lightweight, more extreme, race-car inspired version of the spectacular Aston Martin Valour and asked the company to build one for him.

Aston obliged and the result is the Valiant; an ultra-exclusive, track-focused, road-legal special edition boasting what the company calls ‘extraordinary rarity, presence and potency.'

Only 38 examples will ever be built and all are already allocated to well-healed buyers around the world. There's no indication, of course, of how much they'll actually be paying for the privilege of owning this Alonso-inspired rarity.

Says Fernando: "Valiant is born from my passion for driving at the limit and I have enjoyed working closely with the Q by Aston Martin team on both the design and technical specification and believe we have created a masterpiece."

The latest in a long line of extraordinary projects developed by the company's in-house bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin, this beast of a car is powered by a 735bhp twin turbo 5.2-litre, V12 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Although the company is not revealing any performance figures, it claims that the Valiant pushes the boundaries of performance and engagement thanks to the use of F1-inspired engineering, exotic materials and obsessive weight reduction.

Features include massive carbon ceramic brakes for immense fade-free stopping power, state-of-the-art suspension technology providing motorsport-level damping control, 21-inch, lightweight magnesium wheels and recalibrated driving modes, tuned, says the company, to allow drivers ‘to take control of Valiant's abundant performance and enjoy exploring its elevated capabilities to the full.'

The Valiant's aggressive, muscular styling leaves you in no doubt of its capabilities with a deep front splitter, a new full-width carbon fibre grille, heavily scalloped side fenders and carbon fibre aero discs fitted to the mag wheels. At the rear there's a prominent fixed wing and a clamshell rear panel sitting above a carbon fibre diffuser framing the Valiant's quad exhaust tailpipes.

It all speaks, says Aston, ‘of a truly heavyweight punch.'

Describing Valiant's aggressive look, Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's executive VP and chief creative officer, says: "Valiant is an extrovert. One look leaves you in no doubt of its intentions. A true thoroughbred, it takes clear inspiration from motorsport, expressing its character through dramatic, muscular form and a plethora of beautiful, functional details."

Enthusiasts will be able to get a first look as this extraordinary Aston Martin at next month's Goodwood Festival of Speed where Fernando Alonso will be among the drivers piloting the car up the famous hill climb course.