Aston Martin Teases 600-Plus-Horsepower Vantage GT3 Race Car for 2012 Season

With a big V-12 engine at its heart and an extensive record of Aston Martin racing experience in its blood, the future Vantage GT3 is the latest race-ready performance machine from Aston. It replaces Aston’s aging DBRS9 racer and will make its debut in the 2012 period.

Unlike the Vantage GT4, which is based upon the road-going V8 Vantage, the Vantage GT3 is based on Aston’s gutsy, 510-horsepower V12 Vantage. The company says the GT3’s 6.0-liter V-12 will produce in excess of 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It will be mated to an Xtrac racing sequential broadcast, and the car will have race-tuned versions of ABS and traction control. The teaser picture shows the car will wear a massive rear wing, front splitter, flared wheel arches, and a side-exit exhaust.

Aston Martin is targeting a weight of 2750 pounds for the aluminum Vantage GT3, which will start testing this summer. They will then build ten cars for consumers, ready for the 2012 race season. The car joins a host of Aston racers with the Vantage GT2, DBR9 GT1, and the all-out extreme AMR-One LMP1.