Tag Archives: vantage
Aston Martin Working On Limited Edition Vantage GT8
A spy shot of the Aston Martin GT8. (Source: Autocar)
When Aston Martin decided not to bring its hardcore Vantage GT12 to the United States last year, everyone was dumbfounded. How could the company take away something that breathtaking from Americans?
That one was closely aligned with the V12-powered Vantage GT3 race car. But like mentioned above, this was never experienced in the United States.
Apparently, a new and completely redesigned Vantage is coming next year. But before that, Aston will send out the current model with another hardcore, limited edition model.
This will be called the Vantage GT8, and it will be aligned with the V8-powered Vantage GTE race car. According to reports, this car will be packed with a series of weight-saving measures that include carbon fiber body panels and a stripped out cabin.
This means the race-inspired GT8 will be incredibly faster and lighter than its contemporaries. This would easily be the lightest Vantage ever.
Inside, you can expect a contemporary race-inspired interior, which makes any trip feel like you’re on the race track.
Its power will come from the 4.7-liter engine that is fitted in all V8 versions of the Vantage. The Vantage GT8 will be offered in both manual and automatic transmissions—particularly a seven-speed manual or Aston’s SSII automatic.
Production of the Vantage GT8, however, will be limited, so you have to get your hands on it fast. Aston Martin only built 100 examples of the Vantage GT12. The GT8, sources say, will have 150 units out in the market as soon as production is finished.
The GT8 has already been witnessed by potential customers that Aston Martin invited for an exclusive unveiling last week. The invitation purportedly included a sketch of the car that included a road-scraping front splitter, big rear wing, and large diffuser.
Remember, the GT8 will only be the first from Vantage this 2016, so expect more in the coming months and more importantly, next year.
Aston Martin To Overhaul Lineup With Seven-Model Range
Aston Martin said it’s not overhauling its lineup, but it sure looks like it since it announced that it is looking to build a seven-model lineup. It will mark a new era for the British luxury car brand.
Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told Car & Driver that the new model range will begin with replacing the already existing V8 Vantage. It will still be called the same and is expected to be launched next year.
It will use the AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin turbo V-8 engine, marking the first time the brand is using this specific powertrain. Drivers can choose between a manual and automatic transmission. There’s a rumored V-12 version of the Vantage, but Aston Martin hasn’t announced plans yet for that. It hasn’t even confirmed if it is even building one.
As soon as the replacement Vantage comes out in the market, Aston Martin said it will start working on a new Vanquish, which is scheduled to come out in 2018. There are no details yet about the supercar, although Palmer said the Vanquish will likely have the technologies that is coming out in the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing partnership.
Apparently, the new Vanquish might come with structural carbon fiber and KERS technology.
Aside from the two initial models, Aston Martin is also preparing the DB11, which was first seen during the Geneva Auto Show. A replacement for the DB9, the DB11 will come with the newly developed 5.2-liter turbocharged V-12 engine. It will arrive around the same time as the Vantage. There would also be a V-8 version, but there are no specific plans yet for that.
To round up the models are two others we already heard about—the Lagonda SUV and the DBX electric crossover. There are also other possibilities such as the RapidE Concept, the V-12 version of the Vantage or the V-8 version of the DB11.