Costing from £165,000 and as close as you will get to owning a race car on the road, this is the Aston Martin Vantage GT8. Just 150 will be made, so get your skates on if you want one.
What do I get for my cash?
The most powerful and lightest Vantage with a V8 engine yet. Inspired by the World Endurance Championship (WEC) production-based GTE racer, the GT8 has a 4.7-litre V8 engine rated at 446hp, which drives the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed Sportshift II transmission. It can also be up to 100kg lighter than a comparable Vantage.
How so?
Its wide body features a lot of carbon, mainly used in the front and rear bumpers, the wings, the side sills and the rear diffuser. Opt for the Aero Pack and you get that massive rear spoiler and a front splitter, the latter of which is made of carbon too. You can also spec up, at cost of course, a carbon fibre roof, polycarbonate rear and side rear windows, plus a titanium centre-mounted exhaust. Within are a lithium-ion battery, carbon fibre front sports seats with manual adjustment and carbon door panels too.
Can you tell me a bit more about the exterior looks?
A new design of five-spoke alloy wheel resides in the arches, but ultra-light seven-spoke centre-lock magnesium rims are an option. Either way, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres are fitted and Aston Martin offers a choice of three 'Halo' paint schemes: China Grey and Blue; Stratus White and Green; or Stirling Green and Lime.
It sounds great. Is there anything you don't like?
Well, for such a focused car with a lightweight ethos, Aston's decision to add air conditioning, a 160-watt audio system and its AMi III infotainment interface - all to make it reasonably comfortable as a road car, you see - rather undoes a lot of the company's excellent weight-saving work.
And when does it go on sale?
Now, although deliveries won't begin until the final quarter of this year.