There’s track-centric sports cars and then there’s the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition. Based on the Vantage that serves as an Official Safety Car of Formula 1, the Vantage F1 Edition brings track-honed performance to the open road (or the crowded street – it depends on where you drive it).
The new Vantage is the pinnacle of the Vantage lineup. It benefits from the chassis and aerodynamics improvements that have been put in place to engineer the safety car.
It comes with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that has been enhanced to achieve 527 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque. Aston Martin has paired the engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Peak torque holds at the top of the curve longer than is traditional to increase tractability and in-gear urgency.
The car’s structural stiffness was increased to improve steering feel and response. The internal workings of the car’s campers have increased their effective force range. This change improves the car’s ability to crest hills without losing performance capability.
An increased rear spring rate and lateral stiffness help to sharpen turn-in and increase traction to ensure that the back end’s response complements the front end’s action.
The steering system has been edited for driver clarity. It now offers greater feedback to the driver to help create a pure drive experience.
The rig rides on 21-inch Satin Black Diamond Turned alloy wheels. That’s up form the 20-inchers on the traditional Vantage model. Each wheel is wrapped in Pirelli low-profile tires that were specially developed specifically for the F1 Edition car.
At top speed, the Vantage F1 Edition’s aero kit is designed to deliver 200 kilograms more downforce than the traditional Vantage. The new rear wing on the car is a big part of that. A full-width front splitter, front dive planes, and underbody turning vanes also aid with the aerodynamics.
Aston Martin will sell you the car as a coupe or a roadster. A vaned grille is standard on all models, as are 2×2 Twill Carbon Fiber exterior accents and a quad exhaust.
Buyers can get their car in an Aston Martin Racing Green paint job or choose Jet Black or Lunar White. All models have a Solid Matte Dark Grey racing graphic. The interior has 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.
The new Vantage F1 Edition is on sale now with a recommended retail price from £142,000 in the UK and €162,000 in Germany with deliveries scheduled to begin in May 2021.
