Official safety car or pace car is nothing to sneer at because, it is just as powerful as those race cars, if not more powerful. Speaking of a safety car, petrol heads who have dreamed of owning one can now do so because, the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is, in fact, based on the Vantage as an Official Safety Car of Formula 1.
Aston Martin said it itself; it is a replica of the Vantage Safety Car. So, if you always have the desire to drive a pace car, this is it.
There’s really nothing unglamorous, btw, because, the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is the most track-focused production Vantage yet that benefits from package of engine, chassis and aerodynamic upgrades. All these result in a 25 PS increase in output to 535 PS (527 BHP).
The Vantage as an Official Safety Car of Formula 1 made its debut at the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2021 this week. While the 4.0L V8 twin turbo motor now puts out 535 PS, the peak torque remains unchanged at 685 Nm (505 lb-ft).
The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox that has an optimized torque cut during upshifts that will reduce shift times and increases “feeling of directness and precision.” Basically, it is, well, a track-focused Vantage.
The car rides on 21-inch Satin Black Diamond Turned wheels, wrapped in lower profile Pirelli rubbers developed specifically for the F1 Edition and it is dressed in a comprehensive aero kit, comprising of a full-width front splitter, front dive planes, underbody turning vanes, and a new rear wing.
There is also a rear diffuser carried over from the standard Vantage. The new aero is said to offer positive front and rear downforce, totaling 200 kilograms (441 lbs) more downforce than Vantage at top speed.
Further distinguishing it from the “lesser” Vantage are vaned grilled, 2×2 Twin Carbon Fiber exterior detailing, unique graphics, and quad exhausts.
The Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition, which is available as Coupe and Roadster, is on sale now in the U.K. with starting price of £142,000. Deliveries are expected to commence in May 2021. It is also available in stateside. However, we are not aware of the pricing.
All images courtesy of Aston Martin.
