GAYDON, U.K. –Aston Martin returns to its racing roots with the Vantage GT-8, the most dynamic version of its V-8 supercar.
The car, limited to global production of just 150 units, draws heavily on the storied British manufacturer’s racing experience, from its victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959, to wins in GT3 and GT4 categories and a series of title-winning cars in the production-based GTE category of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
To celebrate this history the Gaydon factory has released pictures and specifications for the Vantage GT8 promising performance married to the luxury-drive experience that has earned its GT racing reputation.
Promised to be the lightest and most powerful V-8 Vantage ever, the Vantage GT8 boasts carbon-fiber bodywork and is powered by a revised 446-hp version of Aston Martin’s 4.7L V-8 and available with a choice of 6-speed manual or 7-speed Sportshift II paddle-shift transmissions.
Aerodynamics comes straight from the racetrack and features a front splitter, front and rear bumpers, fenders, side sills and rear diffuser all fashioned from carbon fiber. Its cutaway front wheel-arch mimics that of the factory GTE racer and customers can specify the optional Aero Pack, which adds the large rear wing and additional corner elements to the front splitter.
Other options include ultra-lightweight 7-spoke center-lock magnesium rimmed wheels.
Available paint schemes include China Grey and Blue, Stratus White and Green or Stirling Green and Lime.
Weight-saving measures include a lithium-ion battery as standard while optional measures include a carbon-fiber roof and door panels, polycarbonate rear screen and rear side windows and a titanium center-mounted exhaust, saving up to 220 lbs. (100 kg) over the standard Vantage.
“Road cars are our business, but racing is the beating heart of Aston Martin,” CEO Any Palmer says in announcing the introduction of the Vantage GT8. “The Vantage GT8 expresses that combination perfectly: an authentic and unashamedly extreme road car that draws directly from our Le Mans racing program to amplify the inherent dynamism that has long made the Vantage such a fine sports car.
“Beautifully engineered and set up to be equally at home on a fabulous road or a demanding race track, the Vantage GT8 is a driver’s car in the truest sense of the word.”
Recommended retail price starts from £165,000 ($233,000). Deliveries begin in Q4 2016.
