Upgrades and GTE Version edit
For the 2012 season, Aston Martin Racing returned to a GT based program, after an ill-fated attempt the previous season with their LMP1 class petrol-powered contender, the AMR-One. With the Vantage GT2's specification varying slightly from the updated Le Mans GT2 (now GTE) regulations, development took place with the car relaunched as the Vantage GTE.
Major upgrades edit
Primarily, this focussed on serviceability, a major drawback on the outgoing Vantage GT2. This included creating a new modular construction implementing a series of detachable bars in the front structure, allowing the engine to be pulled straight out of the car. This now allows the engine change process to be completed in less than an hour without any effect on suspension settings, unlike the old configuration, which could take upwards of four hours. The rear suspension and subframe have also been modified to aid serviceability. To increase safety, the fuel cell has been repositioned within the roll cage to reduce the risk of damage to its structure in an accident.
Secondary upgrades edit
Other upgrades include reductions in weight throughout, including weight reductions for many individual components such as the battery.[1]
Improvements also included a new CFD-derived front-bumper, side skirt and rear wing - the latter an evolution of the Le Mans aero package which the Automobile Club de l'Ouest allowed the Aston Martin Racing team to run on the car for the entire season - "Aston Martin Vantage: The rear wing used at Le Mans in 2011 will be used during all the 2012 season with a 15 mm gurney and at Le Mans 2012 without gurney"[2]. Modifications also improved cooling for the driver, a significant concern on the old model, which plagued Drayson-Barwell's 2008 ALMS season.[3]
