Bring on 2017 –The Aston Martin Vantage GT8 will make its official debut at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race in Australia from 3 to 5 February 2017. Baroque Ground founds out all the details
Created for British marque Aston Martin’s racing arm, R-Motorsport and inspired by the V8 Vantage GTE, this limited edition sports car is being produced by Aston Martin’s in-house Special Vehicle Operations division. The Aston Martin Vantage GT8 is said to be the lightest and most powerful production V8 Vantage ever. The vehicle, which is powered by a 4.7-litre V8 engine, is being produced in a limited amount of just 150 examples, all of which are already sold out.
The new Aston Martin Vantage model already has a strong racing reputation, as it made its competitive debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race in May this year. Although the car did not finish the race because of damage during an accident, it still managed to garner leader of the SP8 class and also took pole position for the race. Of course, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the upcoming 12-hour Bathurst 12 Hour race in Mount Panorama, New South Wales, Australia next year, which is apparently an exhilerating experience.
The 2017 Aston Martin Vantage V8 is noticeably shorter than its predecessor as well as the Aston Martin DB11 prototype, and it’s also a little wider. It’s definitely a more compact two-seater vehicle, although it boasts similar interior fixtures and fittings. Electrical components are from Aston Martin’s current technical partner, Mercedes Benz, featuring a 4.0 liter engine, the same found in Mercedes’ AMG GT sports car and C63 AMG super saloon.
The Vantage offers a six-speed manual gearbox or Aston Martin’s automated single-clutch seven-speed. While the Vantage GT8 will be available from February 2017, an open-top Roadster is expected to launch in early 2018. In addition, Aston Martin’s DB11 Volante is to launch sometime in 2017 as well, and the Vanquish replacement and an electric Aston Martin Rapide are both on the cards for 2018. There’s also talk about a hyper car that will be sponsored by Red Bull and designed by Adrian Newey, to be launched in 2019.
So what’s so special about next year’s limited edition Vantage GT8? According to the boffins, it’s one of the most exciting vehicles available, the lightest and most powerful V8 Vantage ever. Its sleek, sharp styling is another reason it was sold out before it even launched. Apparently the engine is also an impressive one when it comes to acoustics. Despite a price tag that is reasonably hefty – well over $200,00 apparently – the 150 models are already all taken. And even if there were still some models available, none are being imported to the US.