Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition Revealed

The Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition adds some performance and cosmetic changes.

Now that Aston Martin is officially in Formula 1, the company is really embracing the branding fully. Just last week, they showed their Formula 1 Safety and Medical Cars and now they’ve revealed an “F1 Edition” of the Aston Martin Vantage.

This is the Vantage that’s powered by the 4.0L V8 and both the coupé and roadster version is available. Enhancements to performance and aesthetics were made, and here they are:

• 25PS additional power (now 535PS)
• Enhanced 8-speed auto with optimised torque cut during upshifts
• Increased front structural stiffness
• Reworked damper internals
• Increased rear spring rate and lateral stiffness
• Improvements to steering system
• 21” Satin Black Diamond Turned alloy wheels with lower profile Pirelli tyres
• New aero kit with positive front and rear downforce, totaling 200kg more downforce
  • full-width front splitter
  • front dive planes
  • underbody turning vanes
  • new rear wing

• Distinctive colour palettes and trim options
  • Aston Martin Racing Green colour scheme
  • Jet Black and Lunar White complimented by a Solid Matte Dark Grey racing graphic
  • Obsidian Black Leather and Phantom Grey Alcantara upholstery and trim
  • Lime Green, Obsidian Black, Wolf Grey or Spicy Red contrast stripe and stitching.

Here’s the press release with more.

PRESS RELEASE

The new Vantage F1^® Edition is a new breed of Aston Martin.  One that celebrates the marques return to Formula 1^® for the first time in over 60 years and establishes the Vantage as a true sports car.  It is also the first core model to benefit from direct input from Aston Martin’s recently appointed Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Moers.

A core production offering, the new Vantage F1^® Edition sits at the top of the Vantage model line.  Motivated by an exciting return to Formula 1^® and as a direct result of the engineering that went into the development of the Vantage as an Official Safety Car of Formula 1^®, which makes its debut at the Formula 1^® Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2021 this month, the Vantage F1^® Edition is the ultimate expression of performance and dynamism; it is the fastest and most focused of the already sporting Vantage .

Not only is it the most powerful, but the Vantage F1^® Edition benefits from unique and significant chassis and aerodynamic improvements developed by Aston Martin’s hugely experienced engineering team.  While the luxury brand’s Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One^TM team was busy preparing a return to the grid, the engineering team behind the infamous road cars were too, creating the ultimate Aston Martin Vantage which could take on the role of an Official Safety Car of Formula 1^®.  Set to work by Chief Executive Officer, Tobias Moers, the task was to develop significant performance enhancements, driven by improved lap time performance in order to successfully carry out its role on the F1^® track, but without compromising its on-road capabilities.  Notably, it would do so without the fitment of aggressively track-optimised tyres.  Following the success of these enhancements, Moers instructed the integration of these into the production car, ultimately developing the new Vantage F1^®Edition.  The most sporting Vantage in the production range and in essence, a replica of the Vantage Official Safety Car of Formula 1^®.  An exciting proposition for Aston Martin customers.

The engineering team targeted intelligent, incremental improvements across multiple areas of the Vantage F1^® Edition’s auto-only powertrain, chassis and aerodynamics to bring out more character, increase tactility and expand its outright capabilities.

Starting with the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, power is up by 25PS to a new maximum of 535PS.  Peak torque remains unchanged at 685Nm, but that peak is sustained for longer to further increase tractability and in-gear urgency.  This relentless, muscular performance has been further enhanced by work to the 8-speed automatic transmission, with an optimised torque cut during upshifts that reduces shift times and increases the feeling of directness and precision.  This torque management also enhances the driver’s sense of control and connection during downshifts specifically under heavy braking and allows for finer control when the driver is balancing the car at its limit of traction.  While noticeable in all circumstances and conditions, these improvements are especially beneficial when driving on track.

Moving to the chassis, the team’s focus centered on the suspension and steering, with further detailed underbody modifications to increase front structural stiffness for a further improvement in steering feel and response.  Reworked damper internals have increased the dampers’ effective force range.  This increase in bandwidth brings a noticeable improvement in vertical body control – both through high speed compressions and over crests – without any deterioration in low-speed compliance.

To compliment changes to the dampers, the chassis also benefits from increased rear spring rate and lateral stiffness to help sharpen turn-in, increase traction (especially over bumps) and ensure the rear-end is tuned to compliment the front-end’s rate of response.  Further improvements to response and – crucially – to what the driver feels have been made to the steering system, allowing feedback from the road to be transmitted more clearly, which in turn helps build a detailed sense of available grip.

With the chassis hardware optimised, attention turned to the wheels and tyres, increasing from 20” on the regular Vantage to 21” as standard for the Vantage F1^® Edition.  Developed specifically for the F1^® Edition with Pirelli, it is the first time Vantage has been fitted with 21” tyres.  Much like the other dynamic changes, the switch to a lower profile tyre provides greater feedback to the driver to ensure progressive on-limit handling to give maximum confidence in even the most extreme track driving scenarios.

Completing the Vantage F1^® Edition’s performance enhancements is a comprehensive aero kit, bringing improvements that can be felt from the driver’s seat and measured against the clock.  Designed to deliver positive front and rear downforce, totaling 200kg more downforce than Vantage at top speed – as well as optimising the overall balance of the car, the aerodynamic changes comprise a full-width front splitter, front dive planes, underbody turning vanes, and – most obviously – the new rear wing.  The rear diffuser remains unchanged but is still a core feature in the delivery of the aerodynamic performance working in tandem with the new aerodynamic features

The Vantage F1^® Edition expresses its intensified performance with limited, yet distinctive colour palettes and trim options, including one that celebrates Aston Martin’s return to Formula 1^® with an Aston Martin Racing Green colour scheme, mimicking that of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One^TM Team car, as well as the Official Safety Car of Formula 1^®.  Exterior paint colours are available in both a Satin or Gloss finish, and other colour options include Jet Black and Lunar White, all of which are complimented by a Solid Matte Dark Grey racing graphic.  Inside the Vantage F1^® Edition features new Obsidian Black Leather and Phantom Grey Alcantara upholstery and trim, with a choice of Lime Green, Obsidian Black, Wolf Grey or Spicy Red contrast stripe and stitching.  

The Vantage F1^® Edition – available as Coupe and Roadster – is further distinguished by its vaned grille as standard, 2×2 Twill Carbon Fibre exterior detailing, unique graphics, quad exhausts and a new design of Satin Black Diamond Turned 21” alloy wheel. 

The new Vantage F1^® Edition is on sale now with a recommended retail price from £142,000 in the UK and €162,000 in Germany with deliveries scheduled to begin in May 2021.

 – ENDS – 
Vantage F1^®Edition Specification

Body 
Two- door body style 2+0 seating
Extruded bonded aluminum body structure
LED High & Low beam Headlamps with integrated direction indicator, daytime running lights, position lamp, lock/ unlock graphic theatre
Signature full width LED tail lamp with stop tail and dynamic indicator functions
Clamshell bonnet
Aero Body Kit ²
Modified Gas Struts and bumpstops to support tailgate opening efforts

Engine
All-alloy quad overhead cam, 4.0 litre twin turbo V8
Water-to-Air charge cooling
Front mid mounted engine, rear wheel drive
Compression ratio 10.5:1
Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system
Electronically Controlled Exhaust
Dual Variable Camshaft Timing
Fully CNC machined combustion chambers
Maximum power: 535PS/ 527bhp at 6000rpm
Maximum torque: 685Nm from 2000-5000rpm
Acceleration: 0-60mph: 3.5seconds Coupe, 3.6 Seconds Roadster
Acceleration 0-62mph (0-100km/h):  3.6 seconds Coupe, 3.7 seconds Roadster
Maximum Speed: 195 mph (314 kph) Coupe, 190mph (305kph) Roadster

European Fuel Economy Figures (WLTP)
*Manufacturer’s estimate

Transmission
Rear mid-mounted ZF eight-speed automatic transmission
Alloy torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft
Electronic Differential (E- Diff)
Final drive ratio 2.93:1

Steering 
Electric power assisted steering rack with 13.09:1 steering ratio
Speed-dependent rack and pinion power-assisted steering, 2.4 turns lock-to-lock

Suspension
Front independent double wishbone design coil springs, anti- roll bar and adaptive damping
Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar and adaptive damping
Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Skyhook technology modes Sport, Sport Plus & Track
Stiffer Rear spring, uprate in damping

Wheels and Tyres
21″ Vantage
21″ P Zero. 255/35ZR21 XL A6A (98 Y)
21″ P Zero. 295/30ZR21 XL A6A (102 Y)

Brakes
Front ventilated two-piece cast iron brake discs 400mm Diameter ¹
Rear ventilated Co-Cast brake discs 360mm Diameter
Electric Park Brake
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
Traction Control (TC)
Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)
Positive Torque Control (PTC)
Dynamic Torque Vectoring (DTV)

Dimensions
Length – 4490mm
Width (incl Mirror Caps) – 2153mm
Height – 1274mm
Wheelbase – 2704mm
Fuel Tank – 73 litres
Minimum dry mass: 1570Kg Coupe, 1645Kg Roadster.
Weight Distribution 50:50

Standard Specification
Satin Aston Martin Racing Green Paint
Special Edition Graphics in Matte Dark Grey
Gloss Black Aerokit ²
Gloss Black Lower Body Pack ³
Gloss Black Rear Diffuser & Blades
2×2 Twill Carbon Fibre Upper Pack ⁴
2×2 Twill Carbon Fibre Roof ⁵
Dark Vaned Front Grille
Dark Exterior Window Surround Finisher
21″ Diamond Turned Wheels – Satin Black
Cast Iron Brakes ¹
Brake Callipers – Black Painted
Smoked Tail Lamps
Black Chrome Wings Badges
Matte Black Quad Exhaust
Silver Cross Brace
Sports Plus Seat
Interior Accent Stripe & Stitching – Lime Green
Micromesh Headlining
Silver Headrest Embroidery Wings Logo
Dark Chrome Interior Jewellery Pack
Aluminum Treadplates
Black Anodised Sill Plaques
Gloss Black Trim Inlay
Comfort Pack ⁶ 
Grey Alcantara and Black Leather Steering Wheel
No Touchpad ⁷
Standard Audio
Technology Collection Pack ⁸

In Car Entertainment 
Aston Martin Audio system
8.0″ LCD Screen
DAB & AM/FM Radio ⁹
iPod® and iPhone® integration and USB playback
A2DP Bluetooth Audio and Phone Streaming
Integrated Satellite Navigation System


Optional Features

Exterior 
Exterior Paint Colour: Satin Jet Black, Satin Lunar White, Gloss Aston Martin Racing Green, Gloss Jet Black or Gloss Lunar White
Delete Graphics
Body Coloured Rear Diffuser and Blades
21″ Satin Black Wheel
Carbon Ceramic Brakes ¹
Brake Callipers: Red, Lime Green
Black Cross Brace

Interior 
Interior Accent Stripe & Stitching – Spicy Red, Obsidian Black or Wolf Grey
Grey Alcantara Headlining
Interior Carbon Fibre Pack¹¹
Touchpad ⁷
Premium Audio System
Garage Door Opener ¹⁰
First Aid Kit

1 Carbon Ceramic Brake option available on Coupe only
2 Includes Splitter, Dive Planes, Unique Underfloor Aero, Rear Wing
3 Includes Splitter, Diffuser & Side Sills
4 Includes Side Gill, Louvred Bonnet Vents & Mirror Caps
5 Coupe only.  Black hood to feature as standard on Roadster, no alternative colour options
6 Includes 16-way seat adjust, heated seats, closed stowage and armrest
7 Standard in China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan
8 Includes 360 Camera, Auto Parking (parallel/Bay), Keyless Entry, Blind Spot Detection, Electric Steering Column, Cruise Control,
9 Not available in all markets
10 Standard in the US
11 Satin Carbon Fibre Trim Inlay and Dark Chrome and Carbon Fibre Jewellery Pack