Great Machines: Automobiles: Baptism of Firepower
06/01/2007
As the moon rose over Bahrain’s second annual 24-hour endurance race, an unexpected storm descended on the island nation’s International Circuit. No mere cloudburst, this was a full-blown monsoon. Usually, a spontaneous downpour—especially at night—heightens the drama of any motor race, but I stood beneath the awning of Aston Martin’s garage, in the pit lane, wishing it would clear. The reason for my apprehension was that I had journeyed to Bahrain to test the same Aston Martin Vantage N24 that was circling the track, and this would only happen if the car completed the race in drivable condition. As some of the more maniacally driven Porsches and Ferraris bounced off the walls (and each other) in the foul-weather conditions, the odds that the Aston would emerge unscathed plummeted like the punishing rain.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
The Vantage N24—a V8 Vantage coupe specially modified for
racetrack competition—takes its alphanumeric appellation from another endurance
competition: the 24-Hours Nürburgring. Though it might lack the international
profile of Le Mans and Daytona, the annual scramble along a 15.76-mile track of
daunting twists and blind rises easily qualifies as the most notorious. The idea
began when Dr. Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s CEO, pulled Chris Porritt, his vehicle
engineering manager, aside and said, "Let’s race the V8 Vantage at the
Nürburgring." An avid club racer, Porritt needed no encouragement—he had been
pestering Bez to take an Aston Martin to "the Ring" for more than three years.
Porritt grabbed a preproduction test mule that had spent most of its life
rolling up test miles on a dynamometer and got to work. (Click image to enlarge)
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There were challenges. Because of its engine size, the Vantage
N24 would race in a class alongside 8-liter V-10 Dodge Vipers, a Maserati
GranSport and a pair of FIA GT3-spec Lamborghinis. Unlike those other cars,
which had all been homologated for motorsport competition, the Aston could
legally drive home on the street after the event. Rather than take chances on a
more powerful—but untested—race motor, Porritt decided he would rely on the
car’s handling to keep it near the top of its class. Therefore, he put the stock
V8 Vantage on a serious weight-reduction regimen and—despite adding a rollcage,
fire system and other safety equipment—his team managed to shave 550 pounds. A
scant 10 months after Bez first suggested the Nürburgring to Porritt, a racing
team that included both men achieved a highly respectable finish: 24th out of
220 cars. (Click image to enlarge)
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Now, six months after the Vantage N24’s success in Germany’s Eifel forest, I
watched with palpable relief as an undamaged N24 finished eighth on the
rain-slicked Bahraini course. Having covered more than 1,600 miles, it
pitted only for fuel, tires and a set of brake pads. The following
morning brought a mixed blessing. The Vantage N24 was mine, but so was Bahrain’s
intensifying rain. While the day before I had worried that someone would wreck
the car, today I worried that person would be me. Making matters worse,
parts of the track had flooded overnight and the abbreviated circuit made a
poorly marked left turn where the regular track went straight. (Click image to enlarge)
As I squeezed through the rollcage and strapped myself into the
seat, I knew I would have to drive cautiously. The Vantage N24 has a cozy
cockpit, and despite the car’s free-flowing exhaust and polycarbonate side and
rear windows, noise is more muted than in many production racecars. Wet
conditions notwithstanding, the Vantage N24 performed with aplomb. Power
delivery was smooth and strong and the car felt balanced in turns, leaving the
impression of a well-sorted high performance street car.
Only 24 models of the N24 V8 Vantage will be
produced with roll bars (left), 26-gallon fuel tank housing (middle), and 410 hp
engine (right). (Click images to enlarge); function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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After its success at the Nürburgring, Bez saw the Vantage N24’s
commercial potential; what started as an experiment blossomed into the British
automaker’s latest limited production model. As Bez put it, "The race marked a
real achievement for both the car and the team, and to celebrate we wanted to
make the car available to customers." Ford’s $924 million sale of Aston Martin
to a consortium headed by racing entrepreneur David Richards might have derailed
the Vantage N24, but Bez agreed to stay on for five years and the company’s new
independence won’t impact the plans for Aston Martin’s race-prepped
Vantage.
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Aston Martin will build 24 copies of the Vantae N24 (starting at £78,720) for use at track events and race series. Engine modifications—such as a recalibrated engine management system, freer breathing heads and lighter components—bump horsepower to 410 from the stock Vantage’s 380. A 6-speed manual transmission works through a racing clutch and flywheel. The production Vantage N24’s package further features larger diameter front and rear anti-roll bars, adjustable ride height aluminum dampers, performance rated springs, racing brake pads, Speedline cast magnesium wheels and Yokohama AO48 high performance tires. Interior modifications include a heavy-duty steel rollcage, Recaro racing seat, six-point safety harness, quick-release steering wheel and fire extinguisher system. Vantage N24 specifications also delete airbags and air-conditioning, but on most tracks, you won’t miss it. Try driving through the heat of a desert road circuit for 24 consecutive hours, however, and you might.
Aston Martin, www.astonmartin.com