The Aston Martin Vantage GT8 Is Forbidden Fruit Americans Will Never Have
The track-ready Aston Martin Vantage GT8 won’t make an appearance in the U.S.
With Aston Martin finally getting the means to make cars that it wants, it’s giving the beloved Vantage a proper send off with a host of limited editions. The latest special edition from the British automaker is the Vantage GT8 is a race-inspired machine that’s extremely similar to the Vantage GT12, but with a V8 engine.
Just like other extremely limited models, Aston only plans to build 150 units of the Vantage GT8 and, unfortunately, none are coming to the U.S. If that doesn’t make you sad, nothing will.
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According to Aston, the Vantage GT8 gets its inspiration from the Vantage GTE race cars that the automaker races at endurance races around the world including Le Mans. To ensure that the Vantage GT8 looks like it’s inspired by race cars, Aston has fitted the track-ready machine with an aggressive aerodynamic that features a healthy dose of carbon fiber, while an optional Aero Pack gives the vehicle the massive rear wing that makes the Vantage GT8 stick out of the illustrious crowd.
While the exterior may seem like overkill to some, everything on the car has its job and isn’t there just for the sake of giving the Vantage GT8 a more aggressive look. Thanks to this liberal use of carbon fiber, the high-performance vehicle weighs roughly 220 lbs. less than the standard V8 Vantage, which gives the car a weight of approximately 3,300 lbs.—making it the lightest Vantage ever.
From the outside the Vantage GT8 looks the part and with its lightweight design, the machine will surely be a riot around the track. But the best aspect about the vehicle is its glorious engine. The Vantage GT8 utilizes the same 4.7-liter V8 powerplant that’s found in the V8 Vantage S, but gets more power. The Vantage GT8 puts out 446 hp and sends its power to the rear wheels through Aston’s seven-speed Sportshift II automatic or six-speed manual.
Enthusiasts not located in the U.S. have three optional “Halo” paint jobs to choose from, which combine China Grey with blue, Stirling Green with detailing (found on the press images), as well as Stratus White with green. Prices for the track-friendly car start at approximately $233,880 with deliveries starting later this year.
More cars: Aston Martin Vantage GTS Is A U.S Special
It’s sad to see the Vantage go, but Aston is giving the sports car a proper send off. We just wish that the track-oriented sports car would make its way to the U.S.