Here are versions of the Aston Martin Vantage designed for the GT2 and GT4 competitions but now Aston Martin and its racing division, Aston Martin Racing (AMR), have unveiled a new GT3 version.
Based on the V12 Vantage production car already in showrooms, the new Vantage GT3 race car will serve as the replacement for the aging DBRS9 and will see its first action next year where it will race against the likes of the 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
You may recall, the DBRS9 was first launched in 2006 and has since seen 26 chassis built and raced to multiple victories in national and international series across the world.
Now, with the upcoming addition of the new Vantage GT3, Aston Martin’s fleet of race cars will be comprised of five different models, the others being the aforementioned Vantage GT2 and GT4, as well as the DBR9 GT1 and recently revealed AMR-One LMP1.
This makes Aston Martin the only automaker to offer a race car for every GT class, firmly cementing it as a global forerunner in race car production.
Designed to FIA regulations, the new Vantage GT3 is built around the Vantage’s aluminum VH architecture with a lightweight dry-sumped 6.0-liter V-12 engine, positioned even further back to optimize weight balance.
Other features include a semi-automatic six-speed Xtrac gearbox with paddle shifters and new race-developed ABS and traction control systems, optimized specifically for this model.
Peak output is rated close to 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with drive sent to the rear wheels via a carbon fiber shaft.
The final curb weight is just 2,756 pounds. Oh, and those chunky wheels measure in at 12.5 x 18 inches up front and 13 x 18 inches at the rear.
The 2012 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 will be eligible for numerous race series around the world including the FIA GT3 Championship, ADAC Masters, Nurburgring VLN, Blancpain Endurance Series, British GT, Belcar and Open GT among others.
Official testing will commence in October, and only ten customer cars are set to be built, ready for delivery for the start of the 2012 season. Pricing starts at a cool £298,000, or about $492,000 at current exchange rates.
Some of its competition will include this recently revealed BMW Z4 GT3 race car, as well as Porsche’s iconic range of 911 GT3 models.
