Race Car or Road Car? 3 Facts About Aston Martin’s New Vantage GT8 for Auto Mechanic College Students
David King, the director of special projects and motorsport at Aston Martin said: “We long held the desire to create a road car that truly reflects our racing activity at Le Mans. With the Vantage GT8, we’ve finally been able to achieve that. By focusing on weight savings and aerodynamics, we’ve taken the V8 Vantage to an entirely different level of agility and aggression. It’s a hugely exciting car honed to the keenest possible edge.”
If you’re planning to go to auto mechanic college and love British cars, read on to learn three top facts about the new Vantage GT8.
1. Auto Mechanic School Grads Will be Impressed by the Vantage GT8’s Weight Reduction
When a lot of automakers talk about weight reduction, they’re usually referring to thinner windows and maybe a carbon fiber hood. The first thing Aston Martin did, however, is take the standard Vantage’s aluminum and steel frame and replace it with carbon bodywork. Next, they added a lighter lithium-ion battery, a polycarbonate rear windshield, titanium exhaust, and reduced a few of the interior options.
This combination adds up to make the Vantage GT8 around 220 pounds lighter than the standard model, weighing in at 3,329 pounds. And as you’ll learn in auto mechanic college; when it comes to cars, less weight equals more speed.
2. The GT8 Will Have an Engine that Auto Mechanic School Grads Might Find Familiar
The GT8 will employ an evolved version of the standard Vantage’s naturally-aspirated 4.7 litre V8, but it will be beefed-up to produce 25 more horsepower than the stock version, with a total of 446hp. The GT8 will only be configured in rear-wheel drive, but buyers will have the option to choose between a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles.
3. The GT8 will Feature a Superior Aerodynamics Kit
The body kit that Aston Martin put together for the GT8 is what truly sets it apart visually from the regular Vantage. The GT8 will have a large front splitter, fenders with cutaway wheel arches, angled side skirts, and a sizeable air diffuser built into the rear bumper. The full body kit is made out of carbon to keep the car light, and customers will also have the option of adding a carbon roof panel and rear spoiler. The GT8 will have plenty of downforce to give drivers a racing feel, but since it’s a road car built for daily use, it will also come with air conditioning and Aston Martin’s newest infotainment system.
The bad news? Anyone looking pursue auto mechanic careers in Cambridge will have an extremely small chance of ever getting to work on or own a GT8. The company is only building 150, and unfortunately, none of them will be exported to North America.
Check out the Vantage GT8 here:
Visit ATC for program information, or to speak with an advisor.
