Aston Martin->ke13 is celebrating its centenary with ambitious plans for this year's racing season, as it plans to win both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). In order to achieve its lofty goals, Aston Martin announced it will enter the races with four entries: two Vantage GTEs in both the Pro and Am classes.

Two of the cars, No. 97 and No. 99, will be based on the V8 Vantage->ke347 and will be heavily revised when compared to the model used in the 2012 racing season, while cars No. 95 and No. 96 will be built on the 2012 specifications.

Aston Martin revealed nearly no details on the 2013 Vantage GT2, but it confirmed the cars will get redistributed weight, revised suspension and a new fly-by wire throttle – a newly allowed feature under this year’s regulations. Everything else seems to be pretty much identical to the road-going version: aluminum structure, and the design of the engine and suspension.

Hit the jump for more details on the 2013 Aston Martin Vantage GTE.

2013 Aston Martin Vantage GTE

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Aston Martin Vantage GTE
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 600
  • Torque: 516
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

When compared to the road-going Aston Martin Vantage, the GT2 version features a body fully made in lightweight carbon fiber and an advanced-aerodynamic package that offers improved stability at high speeds. This package includes a carbon-fiber splitter, flat floor and diffuser, and a carbon-fiber rear wing designed using the latest computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques.

Dimensions:

Dry weight

1195kg (2634 lbs)

Length

4450 mm (175.19 inches)

Width

1980 mm (77.95 inches)

Height

1500 mm (59.05 inches)

Wheelbase

2600 mm (102.36 inches)


Interior

For the interior, the new Vantage GT2 has been specially prepared for the race track. It receives carbon-fiber seats with six-point safety harness, a fire extinguisher system for dangerous situations, and a lightweight lithium battery. For driver's optimal protection, in case of a crash, the car has also been equipped with a steel roll-cage.

Drivetrain

Under the hood, the car keeps the same V-8 engine as in the road-going version, but in the racing version it delivers more than 600 horsepower and more than 515 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a Xtrac six speed sequential transmission with semi-automatic paddle shift gear change and racing clutch.

Thanks to the extra power and the reduced weight, the new Vantage GT2 will be considerably faster than the road-going version which already delivers impressive numbers: 4.7-second 0-to-60 sprint and a 180 mph top speed.

Suspension and Braking

For the 2013 racing season, the GT2 features a lower center of gravity, improved rear stability and increased torsional rigidity. Aston Martin also offers revised a front and rear suspension with optimized geometry. The GT2 version also receives new purpose-designed uprights and wishbones, while the upper damper pick-up points have been relocated to increase the installation stiffness.

The car has also been equipped with a new set of high performance vented brake discs featuring six-pot front calipers and four-pot rear caliper.

Rounding out the package is a set of 18-inch wheels wrapped in high-performance tires and hydraulic power-assisted steering and a quick-release steering wheel.

Prices

Prices for the 2013 Aston Martin Vantage GTE will be announced at a later date.

Competition

Audi R18 e-tron quattro

It’s true Aston Martin has ambitious plans for the 2013 racing season, but it will have to pass models like Audi R18 e-tron quattro. The German model is powered by a V-6 TDI engine combined with kinetic energy that’s recovered whenever the car brakes. This system delivers a total of 510 horsepower.

Porsche GT3 R Hybrid

In the same race, we will see cars like Porsche GT3 R Hybrid. It is powered by a 4.0-liter flat-six engine combined with two electric motors for a total output of 480 horsepower.

The two German models have scored impressive results in the previous years, so outgunning them will be pretty difficult for Aston Martin, but who knows, maybe it will get lucky.

Conclusion

Aston Martin plans to honor their centenary celebration with some amazing results during the 2013 racing seasons. Ambitious plans, but we will see if the new Vantage GT2 will manage to outtake them. The models received significant updates for the 2013 racing season, and it will help the racing team a lot, but we will have to wait and see the final results.