Aston Martin introduced the 2012 V12 Vantage GT3 race car in late August, but the British automaker has begun its intensive race condition testing for the menacing coupe.
Testing of the latest race car to come from Aston Martin, which replaces the successful DBRS9, started off with 1,000 kilometers of driving at Brands Hatch track, with factory driver Darren Turner behind the wheel.
“The car ran like clockwork throughout and we’ve managed really good mileage already. The feeling of the V12 Vantage GT3 is a massive step forward from the DBRS9. Being based on the smaller Vantage it is more responsive and feels more nimble, giving the driver plenty of confidence to extract all the performance from the V12 engine while also being light on its tires. It isn’t too physical to drive and I didn’t even break into a sweat during the test!” bragged Turner.
The Vantage GT3 features a modified version of the 5.9-liter V12 engine found throughout Aston’s model range. The dry-sump engine is expected to produce 600 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, while its position has been optimized to improve weight balance. A carbon fiber driveshaft connects the engine to an Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission actuated by paddle shifters. With weight reduced to about 2800 pounds through stripping down the interior and other weight-saving measures, the Vantage GT3 figures to be blindingly quick.
Also shared with the road-going variant is the VH bonded aluminum body structure, something that Aston Martin is proud to admit as it gives some serious street cred (or would it be track cred?) to the road-going V12 Vantage.
Lucky buyers will find that their Vantage GT3 is 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.
Pricing for the Vantage GT3 will start at $490,000.
