Aston Martin might have had its share of ups and downs of late but in one respect it’s been up, up, up: on the racetrack. With GT world manufacturers’ and drivers’ WEC titles this year and dual class win at Le Mans, 2020 has been the most successful racing season for Aston Martin since 1959 when it famously clinched the world sportscar title at Goodwood. Then it was the DBR1 that proved unbeatable; this year, as for the previous 11, the car at the heart of Aston motorsport glory has been the Vantage.
New Aston racers sold as unique set
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The Vantage’s run has been successful enough to warrant a special tribute and now Aston Martin Racing (AMR) has come up with precisely that. In what must be one of the most exclusive special edition collections going, Aston is offering the Vantage Legacy Collection, a trio of original Vantage race cars – each of them newly built, identically liveried in sterling green with yellow trim accents, and all ready to race.
The three cars are a V8 Vantage GTE, a V12 Vantage GT3 and Vantage GT4, all racecars based on the previous VH-generation Vantage road car launched in 2005. The competition machines, like the road cars, were a success from the off. From the GT4 Vantage’s first appearance in 2009 until the last GTE in 2018, Aston Martin recorded two 24 Hours of Le Mans class victories (in 2014 and 2017) and seven WEC championship titles, as well as assorted other sportscar titles.
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Many examples of the first Vantage racer, the 4.7-litre V8 engined GT4, are still competing around the world today. One hundred and seven were built – or 108 when you include this final tribute version. The V12-powered GT3 arrived in 2012 and quickly became a force to be reckoned with in the British GT Championship, winning outright titles in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Forty six cars were built.
When Aston gave up gunning for overall WEC victory with an LMP1 car in 2012 it turned instead to the GTE class for its official works entry. The V8 Vantage GTE won in its debut year, taking honours at the final round of the WEC in Shanghai in 2012. It was not to be its last win: seven titles and two Le Mans class victories later, the Vantage GTE was the most successful car in the WEC.
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“For a collector, this trio of Aston Martin Racing Vantages represents the ultimate tribute to a halcyon period for the brand in international sportscar racing,” AMR president David King tells us. He says the collection is a “beautiful sign-off for a wonderful car” that had lain the foundations for more success with the new turbo V8.
Having one Aston racecar in the garage would be special enough; can imagine a garage with three of them, a matching set in green and each with that evocative yellow lipstick around the grille? What price such a collection of British GT heroes? That will be between Aston and the lucky buyer…
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