The darker side of British elegance.
Aston Martin is known for their supercars and sports cars that combine British class and elegance with superb performance. While their cars are unquestionably breathtaking, there isn’t a hardcore model for those looking for raw, unadulterated performance. Aston Martin has been involved in motorsports, but there has never really been a street-legal car with the same DNA as those chasing the checkered flag. The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 bridges that gap and brings real motorsport performance and capabilities to the road.
“Motorsport is in our blood at Aston Martin. The Vantage is the car we campaign in top level sports car racing around the world and so it seems only fitting that we offer an exclusive, limited edition Vantage that expertly fuses our motorsport know-how with our road car prowess,” said Aston Martin CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer. “The Vantage GT3 special edition is an uncompromising example of our design and engineering expertise and I’m sure the 100 owners who secure one of these cars will savor every second behind the wheel; whether on the road or on the track.”
Virtually every aspect of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 was upgraded and modified to reduce weight and boost performance. Both the front and rear tracks are extended to improve lateral load transfer and improve handling while extended carbon fiber fenders house the seven-spoke, satin black alloy wheels measuring 9.5J x 19 up front and 11.5J x 19 at the rear. Slick 265 front and 325 rear Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires with a tire pressure monitoring kit push grip to the limit. Bringing the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to a stop are ventilated carbon ceramic discs with Brembo GT3 bespoke calipers for fade-free stopping power on the race track.
Carbon fiber was the material of choice with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Along with the carbon fiber flared fenders is a carbon fiber hood, door casings, and optional carbon fiber roof. Other weight-saving measures such as a lithium ion race-derived battery, and optional rear polycarbonate window and rear quarter windows help to reduce weight by 100 kg (220.5 lbs.) over the standard V12 Vantage S for a total estimated weight of 1,565 kg (3,450 lbs.). A full aerodynamics package with large rear wing and front splitter help to generate downforce and complete the track-focused exterior design.
Under the hood of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is the latest example of the company’s 6.0-liter V-12 engine. New magnesium inlet manifolds with improved geometry help improve airflow and power while a lightweight magnesium torque tube and full titanium exhaust system with dual center outlets cut weight. In total, the engine churns out 592 horsepower at 7,000 RPM and 461 lb-ft. of torque at 5,500 RPM.
All that power is sent through a rear, mid-mounted Sportshift II seven-speed automated manual transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control setup to the rear wheels. This allows the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to reach 60 mph from rest in an estimated 3.5 seconds while 62 mph comes in 3.7 ticks of the clock. Top speed is an estimated 185 mph.
That same dedication to weight reduction and injecting the brand’s motorsport DNA is evident inside the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. The entire center stack is made from carbon fiber and features touch-sensitive controls. Lightweight, race-inspired sport seats with generous lateral support hold driver and passenger in place during high lateral-G forces. Soft, lightweight alcantara adorns much of the cockpit while new bespoke features from the Q by Aston Martin personalization service adds a touch of class.
The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 will be strictly limited to just 100 units and won’t be available in the North American or Chinese markets. The supercar will make its global debut at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show on March 3rd in Hall 5, Stand 5253. The first deliveries for the Vantage GT3 will begin in the third quarter of 2015.
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Specifications
Body:
-Two-seat, two-door coupe body style
-Extruded bonded aluminum VH body structure aluminum, magnesium alloy, composite and steel body.
-Extruded aluminum door side-impact beams
-Carbon fiber wide body with flared sills and wheel arches
-Carbon fiber front and rear bumpers
-Carbon fiber composite bonnet and louvre
-Aerodynamics Pack – Carbon fiber extended front splitter and rear wing
-Carbon fiber rear diffuser
-Centre-mounted ceramic coated & black textured tailpipes
-Halogen projector headlamps (main beam)
-High intensity discharge headlamps (dipped beam)
-Black headlamp bezels
-LED rear lamps
-Clear rear lamps with black border
Engine:
-All-alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve, 5935 cc V12
-Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
-Magnesium inlet manifolds with revised geometry
-Lightweight titanium exhaust system
-Compression ratio – 11.0:1
-Max power – 600 PS @ 7000rpm (predicted)
-Max torque – 625Nm 461 lb-ft. @ 5500rpm (predicted)
-Acceleration – 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds (predicted) / 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds (predicted)
-Maximum speed: 297km/h (185 mph) (predicted)
-Lithium Ion battery
Transmission:
-Rear mid-mounted, Sportshift III seven-speed automated manual transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control system.
-Magnesium torque tube with carbon fiber propeller shaft
-Limited-slip differential
-Final-drive ratio – 3.7:1
Steering:
-Rack and pinion, power-assisted steering
-Column tilt and reach adjustment
Wheels and Tires:
-19” 7-spoke forged alloy satin black wheels
-Front: 9.5J x 19” Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires 265 FR
-Rear: 11.5J x 19” Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires 325 RR
-Tire Pressure Monitoring System
-Tire repair kit
Suspension:
-Track focused suspension geometry with uprated springs and revised dampers
-Front: Independent double wishbones incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube dampers.
-Rear: Independent double wishbones with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry, dual-rate coil springs and monotube dampers.
-Revised three-stage Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Normal, Sport and Track modes
Brakes:
-Front: Ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 398 mm diameter with six-piston monobloc Brembo GT3 bespoke calipers.
-Rear: Ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 360 mm diameter with four-piston monobloc Brembo GT3 bespoke calipers.
-Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with ‘Track’ mode
-Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with ‘Track’ mode
-Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
-Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
-Traction Control (TC)
-MK25e Brake Control Module
Standard Exterior Specification:
-GT3 ‘race-inspired’ paint liveries
-Black, silver, grey or yellow brake calipers
-Lightweight black mesh grille
-Gloss black window surround
-Front and rear GT3 badging
-Black enamel infill wings badge
-Electric heated power folding mirrors
-Heated rear screen
-Beam blade front wiper system
-Rain sensing wipers
Standard Interior Specification:
-Alcantara and leather ‘race-inspired’ trim color schemes
-Lightweight carbon fiber seat with manual seat adjust
-Carbon fiber center console
-Exposed carbon fiber door casing
-Obsidian Black Alcantara steering wheel
-GT3 headrest embroidery
-Coarse stitching
-AML Fast Track headlining Alcantara palette
-AML Fast Track carpet palette
-Carbon fiber special edition sill plaque
-Black magnesium paddle shifts with leather accent inserts
-Black pedals
-Glass corporate switches
-Graphite speaker grilles
-Driver and passenger airbags
-Perimetric alarm system
-Immobilizer
-Aston Martin Tracking by Cobra – (market specific)
-Auto-dim rear view mirror
-Electric windows
-Rain sensing wipers
Exterior Options:
-7-Spoke satin black forged alloy wheels with center-locking mechanism
-7-Spoke satin black magnesium alloy wheels with center-locking mechanism
-Carbon fiber roof
-Carbon fiber front grille
-Carbon fiber rear tailgate and lamp infills
-Carbon fiber mirror caps
-Machined carbon fiber wings badges
-Polycarbonate rear windows and decklid window
-Red rear tail lamps
-Orange brake calipers
-Bright window surround
-Silver headlamp bezels
-Q – Graphics pack scheme
-Delete GT3 rear decklid badge
Interior Options:
-Lightweight carbon fiber seat with power adjust
-Sports seats (inc. side airbags, electric adjust & heated seats – leather only)
-Leather steering wheel
-Carbon fiber paddle shifts
-700W Premium Audio Sound system
-Bang & Oulfsen BeoSound Audio system (1000w)
-Black Bang & Oulfsen speaker grilles
-Delete headrest embroidery
-Parcel shelf
-Alarm upgrade with volumetric and tilt sensors
-Rear parking assist camera
-Auto dimming mirror with garage door opener
-Steering Wheel Tech Pack to include cruise control and volume adjust
-Second glass key
-Leather ECU pouch
-First aid kit
-Indoor car cover
Dimensions:
-Length 4530 mm
-Width 1914 mm (excluding mirrors)
-Width 2070 mm (including mirrors)
-Height 1245 mm
-Wheelbase 2600 mm
-Front track 1585 mm
-Rear track 1583 mm
-Turning circle TBC
-Boot capacity TBC
-Fuel capacity 80 liters
-Curb weight 1565kg (estimated)
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Gallery
Source: Aston Martin
Is the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 the ultimate track-focused British sports car?
