Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition is much more than just an appearance package

Earlier this month, the Aston Martin Vantage debuted as the official Formula 1 safety car. This is a really big deal and a very easy way to link the F1 safety car to a new, more powerful version of the Vantage road.

With its debut on Sunday, the Vantage F1 Edition receives a number of aerodynamic improvements. A full-width front splitter, dive planes, underbody improvements and a huge rear wing are said to improve stability at high speed, providing an additional 441 pounds of downforce at top speed. Special interior and exterior colors are available, including a Racing Green layout that mimics the look of the real F1 safety car.

However, the F1 Edition improvements go far beyond its appearance. The Vantage’s 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine achieves an increase of 24 horsepower, for a total of 527 hp. The torque output, in turn, remains unchanged, at more than 505 foot-pounds. Aston Martin also made some minor adjustments to the eight-speed automatic transmission, resulting in faster and more aggressive shifting of braking.

Under the skin, the Vantage F1 Edition has stronger front reinforcement and readjusted shock absorbers, as well as increased rear spring rates. The usual 20-inch wheels of the Vantage are exchanged for rollers larger than 21 inches, packed in new Pirelli summer tires. All of these changes should improve the feeling of direction and agility on the road – and considering that the Vantage already knows how to cut a carpet, we are very happy to give it a try.

F1 Edition treatment is available for Vantage Coupe and Vantage Roadster. Look for these special edition models to hit showrooms this summer. Aston Martin says interested customers can pre-order the F1 Edition now, with prices starting at $ 162,000.