With a price starting at £298,000, Aston’s new GT3 contender will take to the tracks this October, embarking on a full testing programme prior to an international racing debut in 2012.

The company has now revealed that its replacement for the successful, ‘gentleman racer’ DBRS9 will have a target weight of 1250kg and produce 600bhp from a slightly repositioned version of its road-car-based 6.0-litre V12.

The chassis itself is Aston’s alloy V/H architecture, lightened, stiffened and strengthened where necessary and carrying a full steel roll cage to FIA safety standards.

The company’s latest race-developed ABS and traction control systems are fitted to the V12 Vantage GT3 as standard, and transmission is via an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission with semi-automatic, paddleshift gearchange.

The DBRS9 was a successful private entrants' car and won many races in its six-year life. The new Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 will be eligible for various championships worldwide, and will go head-to-head with the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 as well as Ferrari’s 458 and Porsche’s 911 GT3 cars. We wish it well.

Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Aston Martin