Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Special

While everyone is busy trying to guess what sort of track monster Aston Martin will unveil at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show  under the Vulcan  name, the Brits quietly introduced the Vantage GT3 Special Edition. Essentially a street-legal version of the carmaker’s GT3-spec race car, this new V-12-powered rig is aimed at the bonkers 911 GT3, with Aston Martin hoping to defeat the benchmark of all track-ready sports cars by means of 600 PS (592 horsepower). Naturally, you don’t stand a chance against the 911 GT3 unless you go to fat-camp first, but the folks over at Aston Martin took care of that by shaving no fewer than 220 pounds off the car’s weight compared to the standard Vantage.
Of course, the GT3’s interior features fewer bells and whistles than usual, but if you fancy race-ready bits, this Vantage has you covered. The big news obviously lies under the long hood, where the naturally aspirated, 5.9-liter V-12 engine roars to the tune of 600 PS, which represents a 27 PS gain over the standard Vantage. More importantly, the updated, race-spec mill sounds downright stunning, obliterating the 911 GT3’s as far as decibels go. To find out what I mean, all you need to do is watch XCar’s exclusive video of Aston Martin’s new race car for the road. Hit the play button above to hear that V-12 engine roar.

 Exclusivity is a relative concept. For average car guys, a custom paint job and an aftermarket exhaust can make them feel that their car is pretty special. But for the truly elite, people for whom a life of privilege has dulled the edges of even the sharpest diamonds, it takes something unique to get that tingly feeling. Something like the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Special Edition, for which a production run of just 100 units all but guarantees the owner won’t see another one.
Designed and engineered at Aston’s Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire, England, the Vantage GT3 has the familiar naturally aspirated 5.9-liter 48-valve V-12. For duty in the GT3, the engine has been tweaked to make an estimated 592 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of twist, a modest improvement over the 565 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of the standard V12 Vantage S. Although Aston hasn’t yet detailed every change made to the V-12, it does tout a set of revised magnesium intake manifolds and a titanium exhaust system with center outlets. A magnesium torque tube and a carbon-fiber driveshaft keep things stiff and light while transmitting the power to the seven-speed automated-manual transaxle. Aston’s estimates peg the zero-to-60-mph run at 3.5 seconds, shaving two-tenths from the Vantage V-12 S’s already hasty time. Top speed, however, is reduced to an estimated 185 mph, 20-mph shy of the current V-12 S’s 205-mph Vmax, likely due to the increase in surface area of the GT3’s aero package.  

 That package incorporates a prominent rear wing and an extended version of the V-12 Vantage’s front splitter, and Aston rather ambiguously says the aero gear has a “profound effect” on downforce for “stability at high speeds.” Equipped with a revised three-stage (Normal, Sport, and Track) adaptive-damping system, the car also gets a “track-focused suspension geometry with uprated springs.” With further specifics unavailable as of this writing, Aston adds only that the GT3 will offer “supreme drivability on the road and uncompromising dynamic performance on the track.” Brembo provides bespoke GT3 calipers in black, silver, gray, or yellow (six-piston front, four-piston rear), but the rotors are unchanged. Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires mounted to 19-inch, seven-spoke satin-black wheels (center-lock pieces are optional) reside at all four corners; the front wheels measure 9.5 inches wide and the rears 11.5.
Weight-saving measures include a carbon-fiber hood and front fenders, while a carbon-fiber roof and polycarbonate rear and rear-quarter windows are optional. A lightweight black mesh grille, a huge rear wing, black-gloss window surrounds, plenty of tasteful orange highlights, and GT3 badging let rubberneckers know just how special the car and its driver are. All told, the car is projected to weigh 3450 pounds, approximately 220 pounds less than a regular V-12 Vantage S.  

Aston Martin has applied some GT3 magic to its Vantage, turning its compact V12 sports car into a limited edition road-going racer. With just 100 GT3’s to be built, Aston Martin has thrown all of its racing experience into what it describes as its "most performance focused road-going Vantage."

The first step of turning the standard V12 Vantage into a GT3 road-racer is making the car’s body lower and wider, with a carbon fiber aerodynamics package providing space for the car’s broader front and rear track, designed to keep load transfer under control during the sort of aggressive cornering that Aston’s CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, expects owners to undertake. According to Palmer, "The Vantage GT3 special edition is an uncompromising example [of Aston Martin’s] design and engineering expertise," he says. An example that he expects owners to savor both on the road and the track.
Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber, the GT3 weighs in at just 1,565 kg (3,450 lb), 100 kg (220 lb) less than the standard V12 Vantage S. Gaydon’s engineers have used the lightweight black weave for the GT3’s flared front wings, bonnet door casings and, if owners tick the right boxes, roof, while a race-derived lithium-ion battery also contributes to the weight savings.
Aiding the GT3’s sporting intentions are Michelin Pilot Sport tires that, aided by the extra downforce that the car’s massive rear wing and pouting front splitter provide, contribute to better grip in the corners.
As well as being practical, the GT3’s upgraded aerodynamics package has had a marked effect on the Vantage’s styling. Aston Martin has turned out some of the world’s best looking cars in recent years, but Aston’s aero changes somewhat spoil the standard car’s sleek silhouette with a more aggressive shape that, to our eyes, isn’t as attractive as the standard Vantage, nor Aston Martin’s Vanquish.
Taste in styling aside, the GT3 should really shift. As well as squeezing 600 hp power from the car’s 6.0-liter V12, Aston Martin’s engineers have developed magnesium inlet manifolds, a magnesium propshaft and a fully titanium center-exiting exhaust system for the limited-run Vantage.
The extra power and expected 625 Nm (461 lb.ft) of torque is enough to send the GT3 from 0-100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 297 km/h (185 mph). All of this power and torque is transmitted to the rear wheels by a rear-mid mounted seven-speed paddleshift gearbox, where it’s put down by a limited-slip differential.

As if all of this free-flowing V12 fun wasn’t enough, the vehicle’s suspension and brakes have been reworked to keep up with aggressive driving, with ventilated carbon ceramic discs at all four corners and a revised three-stage damping system.
Inside, the Vantage’s interior has been extensively reworked for the GT3. A full carbon fiber center stack, race-inspired carbon fiber seats and Alcantara trim, all contribute to a more exclusive, racier ambiance. And if you crave even more exclusivity, Aston Martin’s Q department offers a number of customization options for owners.
The GT3 will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show, with the first customer deliveries to take place in the third quarter of 2015. With only 100 being built, Aston Martin hasn’t announced pricing details – although, as the saying goes, if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.

And even if you could shell out the cash for one, both Chinese and American customers will be left out. Aston Martin won’t be selling the limited edition Vantage GT3 in either of those countries.