The Aston Martin Vantage GTE’s foundation is the V8 Vantage road car. The Vantage GTE uses the very same aluminium chassis as the road car and the core of its engine, the cylinder block, cylinder heads and crank shaft but over the years it has had something of a long and perhaps a little confusing history as a competition car.
The first racing version of the Vantage built to the ACO GT2 regulations appeared in 2008 and was moderately successful in the hands of customer teams. The car retained the bonded aluminium chassis was taken directly from the V8 Vantage road car. Into this, Prodrive integrated an aerospace specification steel roll cage built to FIA standards. With the exception of the roof, the bodywork was manufactured from lightweight carbon fibre. The aerodynamic package featured a carbon fibre splitter, flat floor and diffuser, and a carbon fibre rear wing.
The Vantage GTE retained the road car’s double wishbone suspension layout at the front and rear, but with bespoke wishbones and coil springs over Koni adjustable aluminium bodied dampers. Six-piston Brembo racing calipers are fitted to the front axle with similar four-piston calipers at the rear.
Under the bonnet, the engine was based on the standard 4.3 litre Aston Martin V8 retaining the road car’s cylinder block, heads and crankshaft, but using competition components, including cylinder heads, connecting rods, valves, camshafts and a racing exhaust system. The engine capacity was increased to 4.5 litres and the unit was fitted with a dry sump lubrication system allowing it to be positioned lower in the chassis.
In 2012 the Vantage GT2 was redeveloped significantly and relaunched as the Vantage GTE, it was then campaigned by the works team which had previously been focussed on LMP1 and GT1. The new version featured significant improvements to all areas including the engine, drivetrain and suspension.
The car was then again substantially reworked for the 2013 season. While visually similar, the 2013 Vantage GTE featured significant enhancements with development focussed in three key areas: reducing the centre of gravity; improving rear stability; and increasing torsional rigidity.
“We looked at specific areas where we could take significant weight out of the car in order to move that weight lower, in the form of a new aluminium floor,” said Dan Sayers chief engineer. “The revised suspension has not only improved the handling and overall stiffness, but has brought significant weight savings too.”
Both the front and rear suspension were revised and the geometry optimised. New purpose-designed uprights and wishbones replaced the original parts carried over from the Vantage road car, while the upper damper pick-up points were relocated to increase the installation stiffness. The changes also saved eight kilogrammes per corner. Further weight was saved by the removal of the torque tube surrounding the propshaft. The engine was now mounted directly to the chassis, while the clutch and starter motor were integrated to the rear mounted gearbox, improving weight distribution and reducing the driveline inertia, making it more responsive. This design had the added benefit of reducing the time it takes to replace the engine and gearbox. Visually, the only changes to the car are the openings in the front fenders to allow air to escape from under the wheel arches reducing lift, and the wider ventilated sills, allowing the exhaust to be fully insulated and moved away from the car to reduce cockpit temperatures.
A look under the bodywork of the 2013 specification car (above and below) note the exhaust pipe location and the aluminium chassis. The long distance/night racing lights are fitted.
The front suspension of the Vantage (visible with the lights and some panels removed) the spring damper unit is clear to see as are parts of the aluminium chassis (below).
2016
In 2016 the Vantage was again extensively reworked to meet the new performance box based GTE Pro technical regulations. This new version features wider bodywork and more extreme aerodynamics.
The new 2016 GTE regulations allow for significant changes to the car’s aerodynamics to increase downforce and reduce lap times. The most striking of these is the ability to fit an extended rear diffuser, which can now protrude 100mm beyond the rear of the car. The rear wing can also be extended to the same distance. At the front, the splitter has been redesigned to improve airflow under the car, to optimise the new diffuser.
“The FIA wants to increase the performance gap between GTE and GT3 and by focussing primarily on the underfloor aero, it means the cars still retain the identity of the road car,” said Dan Sayers, Aston Martin Racing technical director. “Also the focus on aero, rather than engine or mechanical changes, also means we avoid the need for extensive and costly endurance testing.”
Most of the body panels have been changed to improve the aerodynamics and there are distinctive new wing mirrors, which both improve driver visibility and the airflow over the new rear wing. All the aero and bodywork has been developed in CFD by Aston Martin Racing in conjunction with Total SIM.
From a safety viewpoint the GTE will feature the latest 8862 seat; impact foam in the driver’s door; as well as removable door glazing and a mandatory roof access hatch to aid driver extraction in an emergency.
The outer lower portion of the bodywork between the wheels on the Vantage has been an area of development of over the years – compare the different variants.
The original specification (above) saw the exhaust fully enclosed with a small vent at the foremost section. In 2012 a more extreme aerodynamic package was introduced with a much wider flared section in this region (below)
The most recent version of the car saw another iteration of the floor design with the large flared section reduced somewhat.
The Vantage has had four different wing mirror designs over the years, starting with a very curvy design which featured a vent in the centre of the mirror housing and a light on the stalk (below).
A later variant was far more simple (but possibly lower drag) and was also fitted to the pre 2012 cars.
The third variant appeared in 2012 with the major car update.
The most recent version was fitted to the 2016 car with a completely new mirror location and design in order to comply with the new rules.
A look at the engine installation on the 2016 car, note the plenum design (below).
The 2016 cars most notable feature is its large diffuser which extends significantly beyond the rear bumper (as is allowed under the new regulations). Many have commented on how vulnerable it seems to impacts.
Compare with the old version (below) without the huge rear floor.
The diffuser is not the only major difference to the 2016 car, it has a substantially different body which is notable when looking at the car from the front.
Compare the new version (above) with the old version (below) – both versions are competing in the WEC in 2016 with the new spec used in GTE-Pro and the old spec in GTE-Am.
The new version features a different treatment around the front corner (note the different number and location of the dive planes as well as the overall shape of the panels) as well as a new rear wing.
