Aston Martin announces new £300,000 racing car
ASTON Martin has beefed up its motorsport credentials by announcing plans for a new Vantage GT3 race car.
The £300,000 car is planned as a successor to the DBRS9, which has been raced successfully in Europe for the last six years.
The new Vantage GT3 will feature the latest race car technology, combined with groundbreaking aerodynamics and has been designed to beat all leading competitors.
It features a modified version of Aston Martin’s production 6.0 litre V12 engine found in the marque’s highly acclaimed sports cars. The engine is expected to produce 600 bhp, while the car has been designed with a carbon fibre propshaft and a six speed sequential transmission with semi-automatic paddle shift gear change.
The Vantage GT3 will be eligible for numerous race series around the world including the FIA GT3 Championship, ADAC Masters, Nürburgring VLN, Blancpain Endurance Series, British GT, Belcar and Open GT among others.
Warwickshire based Aston Martin remains the only manufacturer to offer a race car for every GT class, underlining its attempt to be one of the world’s leading race car suppliers.
Aston Martin has sold 24 DBRS9s and customer teams have accumulated many race podiums and victories over the past six years including 2009 Winner Teams Championship, and Winner Manufacturers Championship for Hexis Racing and a 2011 GT Open race win at Spa for Villois Racing.
Testing of the new car will begin in October, where the Vantage GT3 will undergo a comprehensive sign-off durability test including a 10,000 km test programme.
The first cars are expected to be delivered in early 2012. Prices will start from £298,000.
