There's no two without three. After the recent announcement of the new road-going Vantage and the Vantage GT3, Aston Martin is debuting the new Vantage GT4, a car intended for partner race teams and circuit driving enthusiasts, and which also completes the company's GT line-up. home of Gaydon underlining the brand's commitment to motorsports. The newcomer aims to establish itself in the junior categories of GT racing thanks to a series of improvements to the chassis, aerodynamics, transmission and efficiency, to make the new car more competitive than ever. “She was born to win”, says Marco Mattiacci, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of Aston Martin Lagonda. “With the significant performance improvements seen in the new road-going Vantage and developed in parallel with the Vantage GT3, the GT4 is a demonstration of the growing synergies between our road and race car programmes; Class-leading power and technology on the road translates to race-ready pace on the track. The introduction of the new Vantage GT4 also allows us to create an even deeper bond with Aston Martin's partner teams. We currently have more than 40 partners actively competing in all GT competitions around the world, many of which run multi-car and multi-class programmes. This level of commitment underlines our desire to be at all levels of motor racing, as well as forging closer bonds with our wider community of fans and enthusiasts, many of whom have fallen in love with the brand thanks to our racing successes and Le Mans”.
Like the Vantage GT3, the new Vantage GT4 is designed, engineered and built by Aston Martin Racing (AMR). Aston Martin's official partner for GT racing since 2005, AMR is responsible for all production Aston Martin GT racing cars starting with the legendary DBR9. This valuable continuity and unrivaled depth of knowledge has flowed directly into the Vantage GT4 program. The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 program builds on the previous title-winning GT4 and uses developments applied to the new road-going Vantage to achieve further improvements in the performance of the latest generation racing car. “The new
The car
Vantage GT4 is a true evolution of the previous car – explains Adam Carter, Head of Endurance Motorsport at Aston Martin – the increasingly close synergies between Aston Martin's programs for road and racing cars have allowed AMR to exploit the improvements made to the new road-going Vantage to increase speed and efficiency, whilst maintaining the core qualities that made the previous GT4 so popular with teams and drivers.” Strict regulations mean the GT4 Vantage remains very close to its production sibling, with the racing car sharing around 80% of the road car's structural and mechanical architecture. At the heart of all this is the bonded aluminum chassis, which features a specially made safety cage to meet stringent safety requirements before the bodywork is attached.
Motor
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and transmission are both based on components from the road-going Vantage, with the main changes focusing on the electronic control systems; the first features a Bosch Motorsport control unit with customized software developed by AMR; the second is installed with ZF/AMR Motorsport software to control the otherwise standard automatic transmission. Custom software “converts” the eight-speed gearbox to a six-speed shifter with paddles without automatic mode, locking out seventh and eighth gears, which are street-level overdrive ratios fitted to save fuel at cruising speeds. The changes to the electronic systems were made primarily to ensure precise control of the engine management and turbo control systems to meet the stringent Balance of Performance criteria defined by the organizers of the GT4 championship. They are also used to optimize gear changes and manage motorsport-specific traction control. The Vantage GT4's cabin also features the latest Bosch BDU 11 display, which replaces the road car's instrument cluster.
Chassis
Chassis modifications are also dictated by regulations. Internal suspension mounting points remain the same as the production road car, with some modifications permitted to the suspension linkages. This is to provide the correct camber for a racing application and to fit the 18-inch diameter wheel and tire package, which is significantly smaller than the 21-inch wheels fitted to the new road car. The Vantage GT4 uses new custom forged aluminum wheels to AMR's specifications. A highlight of the dynamics package are the new two-way adjustable KW dampers, supplied as part of AMR's broader technical partnership with the renowned suspension manufacturer. Based on driver feedback over the last six years, the new car has been developed to inspire a greater feeling of precision and control through its driving dynamics, whilst retaining the same vital characteristics of ease of driving and usability that made the previous Vantage GT4 a racing car so popular among its drivers.
Design
Visually, the Vantage GT4 closely resembles the stunning design of the new road-going Vantage, with regulations allowing only modest changes to the road car's design. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to optimize the GT4's aerodynamic package. Input from Aston Martin's design department ensured these changes were seamlessly integrated into the final design. Most of the Vantage GT4's body panels are stock items. An exception is the bonnet, which allows the incorporation of air outlets and is made of a composite of sustainable natural linen fibres, stiffened by a cork core. GT4 regulations also allow limited aerodynamic modifications. In the case of the new Vantage GT4, that means a larger front splitter and the addition of a new rear wing. The result is an increase in downforce and a reduction in aerodynamic drag compared to the previous Vantage GT4. Attention has also been paid to airflow management, in particular the cooling air for the engine and brakes. Both benefited from the new Vantage's design, with a larger radiator opening that allows more air mass to flow through the engine's cooling system. The air delivered to the brakes has also increased significantly. Both of these benefits were achieved without disturbing the airflow over the rear wing. After completing an exhaustive development program, the new Vantage GT4 made its international debut in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge racing during last month's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Florida, USA. Production is now well underway, with a number of cars already in the hands of customer teams and AMR committed to taking orders for more than 40 units during the 2024 season.
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