What's the news?
Aston Martin has revealed an even more extreme upgrade for the most extreme car it has ever made, the Vulcan. In case your memory needs a refresh, Aston created just 24 examples of this track-only car at €2 million apiece (plus local taxes). It's powered by a naturally aspirated 7.0-litre V12 petrol engine, producing north of 800hp, which drives the rear wheels through an Xtrac six-speed sequential shift gearbox. It is essentially a race car without the limitations of FIA regulations.
Anyway, job done, we thought, allowing Aston to get on with focusing on its Valkyrie, but no, seems Aston couldn't resist tinkering with the Vulcan a little more. So now we have the Vulcan AMR Pro upgrade package. Note: there are no new vehicles being made; this is an upgrade only for those 24 existing owners, if they so desire. And I shudder to think how much it'll cost them, but apparently work is already under way on the first upgrades, at Q by Aston Martin.
So, what does it include? Mostly an aerodynamic overhaul, in truth, with a small bit more weight reduction and shortened gearing for sharper acceleration. The aerodynamic updates are significant though, front and rear, the net effect being a lot more downforce, but also a shift in the aerodynamic balance closer to the middle of the car, which should make it even better to drive and turn into a corner.
Anything else?
Aston Martin Vice President and Chief Special Operations Officer, David King, said of the Aston martin Vulcan AMR Pro: "When we first conceived the Aston Martin Vulcan it was to create something that expressed Aston Martin's wilder side. The result was an ultimate track car - one free from the regulations and constraints of World Championship competition. A flight of fantasy, if you like. But one we could share with our keenest customers. Like anything with a motorsport mindset, once we'd built and delivered all 24 Vulcans we started thinking about how to make it quicker. And so the Aston Martin Vulcan AMR Pro was born. The shorter gearing makes for truly explosive acceleration between the corners, while the aero package's increased downforce and improved balance gives our customers the all-important confidence to explore the extraordinary performance on offer."
Aston Martin Racing works driver, Darren Turner, added: "I've been fortunate to drive the Aston Martin Vulcan throughout its development programme and at the numerous customer events held since the cars were delivered. It's an incredible car in every respect - looks, sound and of course, performance. We worked hard to ensure it's not a monster to drive, so it was important the AMR Pro upgrade remains true to that objective. By increasing the overall level of downforce front and rear, but also improving the balance of the car we've done just that. Together with the shortened gearing, which makes it even more punchy when you accelerate through the gears, the Aston Martin Vulcan AMR Pro feels more agile and responsive to steering inputs. When you get the aero working through a fast corner it really is an unbelievable feeling. I can't wait to see the customers' faces when they experience it for themselves!"