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Thread: Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE 2012-

  1. #1
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    Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE 2012-

    Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE

    Gaydon, 24 February 2012 – Aston Martin Racing will embark upon an exciting new challenge in 2012 as it prepares to make a return to international GT motorsport in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team will campaign a V8-powered Vantage in the GTE Pro category of the eight round series, which spans three continents. At the third round of the championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin Racing will field a second works Vantage GTE.

    The Vantage GTE is a development of the Vantage GT2, with significant improvements to all areas including the engine, drivetrain and suspension. Carrying the iconic Gulf colours, the new car will make its competitive debut at round one of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 60th anniversary edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring, on March 17th. The driver line-up has been confirmed as Darren Turner (GBR), Stefan Mücke (D) and Adrian Fernandez (MX).

    Aston Martin Lagonda Chairman David Richards shared his enthusiasm for the new project: “It’s great to be returning to our core motorsport activity; production-based GT racing. It formed the basis for Aston Martin’s return to competition when the DBR9 GT1-racer was launched in 2004, and it was in GT racing that we achieved our famous victories at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008.

    “The GT category is also now the most competitive class in world sports car racing and with the new FIA World Endurance Championship the GTE class will, I believe, offer the closest fought and most exciting spectacle. We will see many premium sports car brands competing with great sounding racing cars based on their production models, which all the fans can relate to.”

    In order to give the team more competitive experience of the Vantage GTE ahead of Le Mans, Aston Martin Racing will also contest the Long Beach and Laguna Seca rounds of the American Le Mans Series on April 14th and May 12th respectively.

    At the heart of the Vantage GTE is the road-going Aston Martin V8 Vantage. The GTE is a significantly updated version of the original GT2 car and has been specifically designed to compete in championships running to the Automobile Club De L’Ouest GTE regulations. Under the bonnet, the engine is based on the standard Aston Martin V8, but with competition components including cylinder heads, connecting rods, valves, camshafts and a racing exhaust system. As in the road car, the transmission is mid-rear mounted, but with a six-speed semi-automatic sequential transmission and competition clutch. The transmission also has a dedicated oil/air cooling system.

    The bonded aluminium structure is taken directly from the V8 Vantage road car. Into this, Aston Martin Racing integrates an aerospace specification steel roll cage built to FIA standards. With the exception of the roof, the bodywork is manufactured from lightweight carbon fibre and features an advanced aerodynamic package with carbon fibre splitter, flat floor and diffuser, and a carbon fibre rear wing designed using the latest computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The Vantage GTE retains 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. Powerful but lightweight six-piston Brembo racing calipers are fitted to the front axle with similar four-piston calipers at the rear.

    Aston Martin Racing’s decision to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship will ensure that the brand continues to compete at the very highest level of endurance sports car racing. As of the 2012 season, all of Aston Martin Racing’s competition cars are based on the road-going Vantage, reflecting its status as the sportiest car in Aston Martin’s model range.

    Factory driver Darren Turner said: “I’m excited about this programme as it’s our opportunity to take Aston Martin back to the top of the world of GT racing. The Vantage GTE is a great car; she’s coming along nicely now and we’re ready to take on what we expect will be tough competition. The FIA World Endurance Championship calendar looks good to me, especially as I’ve already won in an Aston Martin at half of the tracks: Sebring, Silverstone, Interlagos and of course at Le Mans. We are going to Sebring next month with a brand new car, but that’s exactly what we did with the DBR9 back in 2005 and we won that race. I’m not promising we can repeat that but we’ll certainly try!”

    Team-mate Stefan Mücke explained the team’s ambitions for its first year in the FIA World Endurance Championship: “I’m really looking forward to racing the Vantage GTE and I’m optimistic that the car will be competitive. We always aim high and target podium finishes at every race, but we are also determined to prove the speed and reliability of the Vantage GTE in 2012.”

    Adrian Fernandez added: "GT racing will be a new experience for me because I have raced single-seaters and prototypes for the majority of my career. It's always a pleasure to try something new as a racing driver and with Aston Martin's past success in the GT category, I'm sure I will learn how to get the most out of the Vantage GTE very quickly. We have a strong driver line-up with my team-mates Stefan and Darren, who have a lot of experience in GT racing. I am excited for the start of the season as well as the opportunity to represent Lowe's both in a world championship and the American Le Mans Series."

    Aside from a two-car campaign at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin will also host the inaugural Aston Martin Racing Festival, which gives all owners of its GT competition cars the opportunity to participate in an exclusive 45-minute race on the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe on the morning of the 24-hour epic.
    Engine
    • 4.5 litre V8 in 90 degree configuration with all aluminium cylinder block and heads
    • Four valves per cylinder
    • Dry sump lubrication
    • Racing exhaust system
    • Pectel SQ6M12 engine control unit

    Transmission
    • Mid rear mounted trans axle
    • Six speed sequential Xtrac transmission with flat shift
    • Paddle-shift
    • Air/oil cooled
    • Competition triple plate clutch
    • Limited slip differential

    Chassis
    • Bonded aluminium chassis from the V8 Vantage road car
    • Aston Martin Racing designed and manufactured aerospace specification steel roll cage complying to FIA regulations
    • Carbon fibre bodywork: bonnet, fenders, doors, tailgate, front and rear bumpers, sills, rear quarters
    • Aerodynamic package: carbon fibre front splitter, flat floor, rear diffuser, CFD designed rear wing

    Suspension
    • Double wishbones front and rear
    • Koni adjustable dampers
    • Aston Martin Racing designed front upright installation
    • Front and rear suspension adjustable for corner weights, ride heights, toe and camber settings

    Fuel System
    • FIA-approved 95 litre bag type fuel tank located within the safety roll cage
    • Three-litre pressurised fuel collector (larger capacity option for Le Mans)

    Wheels & Tyres
    • TWS forged aluminium centre lock wheels
    • Front – 12.5” x 18”
    • Rear - 13” x 18”

    Electrical System
    • Full military specification loom designed and manufactured by Aston Martin Racing
    • Hyllus power management control unit
    • Pi Delta Pro-logger with analogue loom
    • Pi Telemetry system

    Brakes
    • Six piston lightweight Brembo calipers front
    • Four piston Brembo calipers rear
    • Two-piece brake discs, front and rear

    ACO SPECIFIC OPTIONS
    • Air-conditioning
    • ACO logger loom, position lights and wheelspeed logging kit

    Weight
    • ACO regulations - 1195 kg
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
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    ASTON MARTIN TAKES DOMINANT CLASS WIN AT LE MANS

    Sunday 15 June, 2014: The all-Danish crewed #95 Young Driver AMR V8 Vantage GTE raced to victory in the GTE Am class at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Gulf-liveried car finished two laps ahead of its nearest rival in what was the largest class of the famous endurance race with 15 competitive GT cars.

    In contrast to the joy of the Am class victory, the team's race-long challenge with the #97 GTE Pro car finished with bitter disappointment as a power steering leak cost them five laps on track and left them in sixth place.

    Aston Martin Racing works drivers Nicki Thiim, Kristian Poulsen and David Heinemeier Hansson will return to Denmark as 24 Hours of Le Mans champions after leading the world’s most famous endurance event for the majority of the race, finishing two laps ahead of their nearest rival.

    The GTE Am race win has captured the hearts of millions of fans watching the race around the world as they reflect on the tragic loss of the team’s Danish driver Allan Simonsen here at Le Mans last year.

    We have achieved what we were aiming for last year but didn't succeed,” comments Young Driver Team Owner Jan Struve. “We have now fulfilled it and we know that Allan has been cheering for us and smiling down on us and, of course, he has been in our thoughts. This win is extremely important to us and I'm proud of all of the team and drivers. They are all Le Mans winners.”

    The #97 GTE and its drivers Darren Turner (GB), Stefan Mücke (DE) and Bruno Senna (BR) showcased a fine display of GT racing, battling it out with the works Ferraris, Porsches and Corvettes in 18 hours of wheel-to-wheel action before a power steering pipe came loose.

    “We led the class on and off for the majority of the race,” commented twice-Le Mans GT class-winner and long-standing Aston Martin Racing works driver Darren Turner. “Early on in the race, Corvette showed their pace but the plan was to stay close but out of trouble and to use a triple stint strategy to jump them in the pits. However, the rain came and interrupted our plans and we were left with a new plan; pick them off one-by-one and take the race lead.

    “The Corvettes had troubles and the Porsches dropped back leaving us and the #51 Ferrari swapping places at the front numerous times. We were leading and Bruno was on a charge when the power steering issue brought us into the pits.”

    Despite the #97 car’s misfortune, the team didn’t miss out on a Champagne celebration this weekend. The pit crew has won an award for the best technical assistance team and presentation.

    “We’ve seen both sides of motor racing this weekend,” comments Team Principal John Gaw. “The #95 team has long deserved this win and there is a real sense of poetic justice. On the other hand, with cars #97 and #99, we have seen how a very small issue can end the race for the teams that have shown they have everything required to win this race, it just didn’t happen on the day.

    “The #99 car drivers have tasted the cruelest side but have dealt with it well and have shown real sporting spirit throughout the weekend.

    “Now we move on and focus on the second half of the World Endurance Championship and look to take as many points from each round as we can.”

    The next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) takes place on 20 September 2014 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
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  3. #3
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    A class win from a class designed specifically for those who can't drive but have deep pockets...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    A class win from a class designed specifically for those who can't drive but have deep pockets...
    Well only 1 driver is like that per car I think...

    Also to be fair the GTE Pro car did ok for half of the race...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by RacingManiac View Post
    Well only 1 driver is like that per car I think...

    Also to be fair the GTE Pro car did ok for half of the race...
    Oh the Astons were quick and competitive, and would've probably have won it it wasn't for the power steering problem; but I can't see the point of separating both GTE classes, if you are fast just win and that's it.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  6. #6
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    I don't mind the separation, it gives the money a chance to have a go at the race and keep them spending in ways that benefits racing. Also GTE Am have to be at last year's spec or older, so there's that about it too.
    Life's too short to drive bad cars.

  7. #7
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    Back on topic, Aston have announced that they're going to have a solar panel on the roof of the car to power the air-conditioning.
    Life's too short to drive bad cars.

  8. #8
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    Is the solar roof panel air conditioning helper actually going to increase the performance in any way?
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  9. #9
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    I think a solar panel will cause less strain on the engine. But the question is whats the actual profit?

  10. #10
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    Smaller alternator, less power draw...in an restricted power formula I can see that being helpful...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
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  11. #11
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    Wouldn't a heavier roof compromise performance and/or the CoG?
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  12. #12
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    Depends on heavy are these photovoltaic thing....IIRC these are just thin films.
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
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