Aston Martin GT3 And GT4: Rich Boy Race Cars Debut

Aston Martin doesn't just let you buy gorgeous cars; it lets you race them. And if you have too much time, and more importantly too much money in your hands, than you can buy these new toys to play with. Say hello to the Vantage GT3 and Vantage GT4 from Aston Martin Racing.

The GT3 is the crazier cousin of the two and will be racing at the Michelin Aston Martin Racing Le Mans Festival this weekend. It is still under development and is yet to be homologated, which will happen in March next year. But, the power figures are out. Using the same 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine front the road car, it makes 542PS of max power and 700Nm of peak torque. The car has a dry weight of just 1245kg.

Both cars use the lightweight aluminium chassis from the standard production-spec cars, but go on to get a steel roll cage, an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox, an Alcon motorsport multi-plate clutch, Öhlins four-way adjustable dampers and Alcon brakes and Bosch Motorsport ABS for better racing performance.

The GT3 has already made its track debut in the capable hands of Aston Martin Racing driver Ross Gunn. It will replace the V12 Vantage GT3 next year, which is still winning races seven years after it was first introduced to the market. The Vantage GT4 is still under development but will be on display at the Aston Martin Racing Festival Race Paddock. It will be less aggressive than the GT3 and better suited for novice drivers.