The new Vantage takes to the racetrack.

The new Vantage takes to the racetrack.

In a world quite different from ours, there is a select group of enthusiasts with the budget to drop into race cars. The latest addition to the scene is Aston Martin's crack at another new generation GT3 racer, and it most certainly looks the part. Launched alongside the all-new Vantage, the Vantage GT3 is sure to turn heads on the track this year.

This new race car from Aston Martin is the first product to be released with both Aston Martin Racing and Aston Martin Performance Technology’s involvement to produce a car that, on paper, is nothing short of impressive. The debut of this new vehicle, the Vantage GT3, can be best described as being thrown into the deep end. It will compete against the best in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the FIA World Championship, and the Fanatec GT World Championship.

So what makes this new generation racer so special, you might ask? Well, to start, let’s touch on the new look. With an enormous rear GT wing, a whale shark mouth-shaped bumper to suction in air, and a side profile that would look fantastic as a bedroom poster, the appearance is an aggressive take on the new vantage. It's exactly what you want in a racing car: a bold look that will stand out on track while maintaining an element of boisterous desirability to hook youngsters in for a lifetime of motoring enthusiasm.

Aston Martin's work might be nice to look at, but each element has a purpose. To start, Aston used a bonded aluminium chassis structure that had been put through rigorous testing and proved to be a reliable foundation for their race cars in the past.

Under the bonnet is the brute of a twin-turbocharged V8 with a 4.0-litre displacement. Although it may look good, the new ‘nose to tail’ aerodynamic package ensures the vantage is ready to compete in the corners. Pairing the aero package with Aston Martin's revised suspension and electronics, this Vantage should come out the gate punching.

To ensure that all bases are covered, the GT3 Vantage was put through its paces last year in a 30-hour challenge to make sure the GT3 can last and outlive its competitors. However, there is still a long way to go before the Vantage can earn the same recognition as its predecessors. It needs to prove itself against the already successful Porsche 911s, Ferrari 488s, and Corvettes. On looks alone, my interest is peaked, and its debut is sure to be spectacular.

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