Aston Martin Vantage (2005)
V8 Vantage Coupe (2005-2008 )
The Aston Martin Vantage is a sports car from Aston Martin. It was introduced in 2005 and is significantly different from the previous model range. This is an attempt to establish themselves in the € 100,000 sports car segment. The convertible was introduced in 2007.
Models
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is the final design for Aston Martin from the hand of Henrik Fisker and was developed as a competitor to the Porsche 997, Ferrari 430 and Lamborghini Gallardo.
V12 Vantage
On 11 December 2007, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS Concept was presented to the public in Gaydon. The launch of the production model followed in 2009. The V12 Vantage is based on the V8 Vantage Coupe. The engine produces up to 380 kW ( 517 hp) at 6500 rpm and has a maximum torque of 570 Nm (419 ft lbs ) at 5750 rpm. The transmission is a 6 -speed manual transmission in a transaxle design with a gimbal housing made of aluminum and a drive shaft made of carbon fiber. The body consists of an aluminum structure with different magnesium alloys, composites and steel. The Vantage V12 is a front- mid-engine with rear wheel drive. The total production time is Aston Martin to 220 hours. Visually, the V12 is indistinguishable from the V8 through the air scoops on the bonnet.
2009 model year
In the third quarter of 2008, comes after three years of construction, a particularly technically revised version with a new V8 engine on the market. This new 4.7 - liter engine with 313 kW at 7000 min-1 replaces the previous 4.3- liter V8 with 283 kW. It has a torque of 470 Nm at 5750 min -1, accelerates in 4.8 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h and reaches a top speed of 288 km / h He is 0.2 seconds and 8 km / h faster than the previous model. Fuel consumption falls by 4 liters to 13.2 liters per 100 km. Arises because a greater range, together with the enlargement of the tank. Furthermore, the automatic transmission has been revised. Has been modified as well as the steering and Bilstein suspension with new springs.
A new Sport Package includes forged five- spoke alloy wheels, firmer shock absorbers and springs and modified for the new coupe, rear stabilizers. External changes affect only the wheels; these are now standard on the 19 -inch format and have 20 spokes. In the interior there is a revised center console, a hard drive navigation system and a connection for an MP3 player. The conventional car key is replaced by the so-called Emotional Control Unit ECU briefly made of glass, polished stainless steel and polycarbonate. This module is inserted into a special opening and start the engine by pressing a button.
Motorsport
N24 and GT4
Race debut of 2006 featured V8 Vantage N24 with 4.3- liter V8 engine was the 24 -hour race on the Nürburgring. Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez, the chief engineer Chris Porritt, Wolfgang Schuhbauer and Horst von Saurma - Jeltsch finished the race in fourth place in the class. 2007, a special racing version of the Vantage was produced and piloted in the pre-test at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza by Chris Porritt for the discharged from the SRO GT4 European Cup. In the following two championship races ended Porritt and teammate Jacob Neller man races each on the podium. Neller man could also enter with a victory at the season-opening race at Silverstone. After the vehicles were sold to customer teams. However, this failed to match the performance of the factory teams first.
Later acquired by individual type approval number N24 - copies of the road vehicle.
Despite the failure of the customer teams in 2008 more cars were sold and used in addition to the European Cup, various national racing series like the British, Spanish and Belgian GT Championship in a specially discharged brand Cup in Asia before the season. Here, the car scored in the GT4 series the team Jetalliance, Speed Lover and Beech Dean Motorsport several class wins, no Championship were won at the end of the year though. With the entry of other producers in the GT4 class, the benefits of operational teams deteriorated in 2009. Merely in the now discharged with GT4 cars dutch GT series was the V8 Vantage recorded two victories. In addition, Aston Martin presented a more advanced version on under the name GT4. The car now used a 4.7-liter V8 engine from the series production.
In the 2010 season of the GT4 European Cup 8 of the 12 races were won by V8 Vantage N24. The starting teams for different driver Paul Meijer and Michael Mallock also occupied the first two places in the championship.
A success story writes the Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 in the Endurance Championship and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in the season 2010 and 2011., Where this vehicle is in the SP10 class ( GT4 cars) for twelve long-distance race unbeaten.
GT2
After the presentation of the GT4 Aston Martin vehicle named in 2008 in the pre-tests of the FIA GT Championship and the Le Mans Series each have a car according to the technical regulations of GT2 group. With James Watt Automotive and Drayson - Barwell went after the tests in each case a V8 Vantage GT2 in the Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series. The commitment at JWA but was canceled before the first 1000 km race, even though the car participated in the training. Only with the last championship race at Silverstone gave Alan van der Merwe, Tim Sugden and Michael Outzen the racing debut in the European long -distance train. The car of Jonathan Cocker and Paul Drayson, however, took off the championship run in part on the street circuit of Long Beach on the full season of the American Le Mans Series, finishing all races in the middle of its class. In October Aston Martin Racing took over two inserts in so far unsuccessful GT2. Since the vehicle still had not homologated for FIA, Stefan Mücke and Tomáš Enge had started in the designated G2 category. Because they have only competed in the class against an older Gillet Vertigo, won the duo in Nogaro and Zolder, but underperformed the other GT2 cars.
For the 2009 season Drayson joined with the Vantage in the Le Mans Series. After several midfield positions at the beginning of the year, the car fell out with the addition driven 24 - hour race at Le Mans. Then team owner Drayson could no longer recorded finish. James Watt sold his car to Asia. There, the vehicle was used in late 2009 in the two rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series, but formed merely the rear of the GT2. In the FIA GT Championship Hexis took over the car by the factory team and reached Frédéric Makowiecki and Stefan Mucke in the championship round at Oschersleben, the first podium finish in the GT2 class.
Motor
- Liquid-cooled eight-cylinder four -stroke V - engine, front longitudinally installed
- Fivefold stored crankshaft, dry sump lubrication
- DOHC, four valves per cylinder, actuated via control chains, bucket tappets with hydraulic Spielausausgleich
- Electronic Fuel Injection
- Based on the Jaguar AJ- V8 engine, but built with a complete re-engineering in Cologne.