After years of struggle and maintaining a lineup consisting mainly of old designs, Aston Martin unveiled the Vulcan in 2015. Although it wasn't the first limited-edition model to have a unique styling, the Vulcan was the first supercar to wear the British badge. It was powerful, fast, radically different from any other Aston Martin, and built in limited numbers. It was also a track-only vehicle, which made it even more exotic. Two years later and the Vulcan returns, this time with an AMR Pro upgrade that makes it even more aerodynamic.

Launched in early 2017, AMR is the company's new performance brand that basically brings the technology seen in Aston Martin Racing competition cars to customer vehicles. Essentially a body kit upgrade to the already potent Vulcan, the AMR Pro package makes the supercar more aerodynamic and quicker at the race track. At the same time, it moves Aston Martin closer to the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren, companies that have solid customer racing programs and highly customizable products thanks to bespoke high-performance divisions.

Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin Vulcan AMR Pro.

Exterior

Note: standard Vulan vs Vulcan AMR Pro.

The Vulcan AMR Pro is all about updates to the exterior, so it is in this section that we will find the most notable changes. What's extremely noticeable upon first glance is that the AMR Pro package turns the already aggressive looking Vulcan into a race-bred monster.

Up front, Aston Martin added louvered panels above the wheel arches, as well as a pair of large dive planes to each side of the bumper. The first element extracts high-pressure air to reduce aerodynamic lift, while the latter help pin the front end to the track. There's also a revised splitter that now includes turning vanes on its underside for improved steering response.

The AMR Pro doesn't do much to change the Vulcan's profile view, but the rear end is more dramatic than before thanks to a brand-new wing. Not only as massive as a full-fledged race car, the new wing also employs a dual plane design -- versus the single plain layout of the non-AMR Vulcan -- and a 20 mm Gurney flap. The element also includes slotted wing endplates that have additional 15 mm Gurney flaps to maximize downforce

Overall, these upgrades bring a major increase in downforce. While the standard model benefits from 3150 Nm, the AMR Pro churns out a whopping 4000 Nm. And while the Vulcan had just a tad more downforce than the 2017 Le Mans-winning Vantage GTE, the Vulcan AMR Pro trumps it by almost 900 Nm. The modifications also shifted the car's center of gravity forward, bringing it closer to the middle of car (47 percent versus 41.5 percent). This not only improves traction, but also enhanced steering response and front end grip.

Interior

Aston Martin had nothing to say about the car's interior, but based on the photos, it's identical to the standard model. Granted, it should come with a few modifications to the instrument cluster and the way data is displayed, but customers should expect to get the same layout and materials.

Radical by design, the Vulcan's cabin is made almost entirely from carbon fiber. Everything was designed with racing in mind, down to the bucket seats, the F1-style steering wheel, and the roll cage. The presentation model comes with bright yellow detailing on the seats, but this detail is most likely customizable and buyers can order it in just about any color available.

The large instrument cluster provides all the vital information, including speed, lap time, tire pressure, and fuel consumption, just like on the standard Vulcan. All told, the AMR Pro's cabin is more than suited to handle a busy day on the race track.

Drivetrain

The AMR Pro is a stock Vulcan under the hood. It's a bit surprising to be honest, but not a deal breaker since the car's 7.0-liter V-12 cranks out a massive 820 horsepower in stock setup. The massive engine mates to an Xtrac-built six-speed sequential gearbox with a transaxle and uses a straight-cut gearset with drop gears to the crown wheel and pinion.

Performance figures are still a mystery, as Aston Martin has yet to update the 0-to-60 sprint time of "less than three seconds" and top speed of "more than 200 mph." However, given the revised aerodynamics, it's safe to assume that the AMR Pro is a tenth-second quicker to 60 mph. Top speed is likely to remain unchanged, or even drop a bit in this configuration.

Just like the standard supercar, the Vulcan AMR Pro rides on a pushrod suspension with anti-dive geometry and Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers, the latter providing high levels of adjustability. There’s also variable traction control and anti-lock braking. Speaking of stopping power, the Vulcan uses Brembo carbon-ceramic disc brakes measuring 15 inches in the front and 14.2 inches in the rear, while the lightweight, 19-inch wheels are wrapped in Michelin race-spec tires.

The only thing that changed under the hood is the engine cover, which is five kg (11 pounds) lighter than the standard one.

Prices

Pricing information for the AMR Pro package is not yet available, but it's safe to assume that this supercar will cost more than the standard Vulcan, which was sold for $2.3 million before options. Production for the AMR Pro is capped at 24 units, just like the Vulcan, with the package to be installed by Q by Aston Martin Advanced Operations. The first customer cars will be completed in the third quarter of 2017.

Conclusion

So what's the actual purpose of the Vulcan AMR Pro given that it only adds a few aerodynamic bits on the outside? For starters, it's yet another great way to make big profits. And this is a good thing for Aston Martin, which needs all the resources it can get in order to redesign its old car and provide more competitive products. Finances aside, the Vulcan AMR Pro is also Aston Martin's way of taking things farther for a car that's already extreme. Starting in 2015, Vulcan owners have received step-by-step driver training by Aston Martin’s expert team of instructors -- including three-time Le Mans winner Darren Turner. The lucky customers have also participated in exclusive driving events held at some of the world’s best Formula One tracks in what has become a proper customer racing program. By enhancing the wild capabilities of the Aston Martin Vulcan, AMR Pro offers customers the chance to further develop their driving skills and enjoy an even more intense driving experience. And this is exactly what folks with deep pockets and a passion for race cars want. Jackpot!