Aston Martin has released a Vantage F1 special edition road car to mark the brand’s return to Formula 1 and being chosen to supply the safety car and medical car for this year’s Grands Prix.
The F1 edition tops the Vantage line, and is available as a coupe or convertible; it will be available here before the end of the year, and local pricing is yet to be announced.
Aston Martin quotes 0-100km/h times of 3.6 seconds for the coupe and 3.7s for the convertible; maximum speeds are 314km/ and 305km/h respectively.
Aston Martin’s new CEO, Tobias Moers, tasked the company’s engineering team to translate the on-track enhancements made to the Safety Car to a road-going production model.
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 gets a power boost to 394kW; peak torque is unchanged from the standard Vantage’s 685Nm, but is sustained for longer.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox has been modified to reduce shift times.
The front end of the chassis has been strengthened, and shock absorbers’ effective force range has been increased to improve vertical body control in high speed compressions and over crests without adversely affecting low-speed compliance.
Engineers increased the rear spring rate and lateral stiffness to help sharpen turn-in to corners.
Wheel size increases from 20” to 21”. “Much like the other dynamic changes, the switch to a lower profile tyre provides greater feedback to the driver to ensure progressive on-limit handling to give maximum confidence in even the most extreme track driving scenarios,” says Aston Martin
A comprehensive aero kit produces 200kg more downforce than the standard Vantage at top speed, and optimises the car’s overall balance.
The car has a full-width front splitter, front dive planes, underbody turning vanes, and a new rear wing. The rear diffuser is unchanged.
Paint colours include Aston Martin Racing Green, the same shade used on this year’s Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 race car and the Safety Car.
Exterior paint is available in satin or gloss finishes, and other colour options include Jet Black and Lunar White, all of which are complimented by a Solid Matte Dark Grey racing graphic which is a deleteable option.
Inside there is Obsidian Black leather and Phantom Grey Alcantara upholstery and trim, with a choice of Lime Green, Obsidian Black, Wolf Grey or Spicy Red contrast stripe and stitching.
“Performance is at the heart of every Aston Martin, but when it wears an F1 badge it has to be a truly exceptional car,” says CEO Moers. “I set the engineering team a tough target, as I was insistent that gains in performance came via genuine improvements in the car’s dynamics, and not by fitting track-optimised tyres.”
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