The good folks over at the racing-focused ImportRace channel on YouTube have a nice set of brawls featuring a limited-edition Aston Martin Vantage, an Explorer SUV from Ford, and an old Legacy from Subaru. That certainly isn't your usual dragstrip roster, right?
Although some (uninitiated) might think that quarter-mile drag racing is just two cars going in a straight distance, the truth is much more nuanced – hence the continuous interest in this type of motorsport. Besides, it's accessible to everyone, whether you're driving something probably worth ten times more than the vehicle in the other lane.
But there is no need to take our word for granted because we have an eloquent example from Island Dragway in Great Meadows, New Jersey. During a classic test and tune evening, a fresh 2023 Aston Martin Vantage F1 decided to stop by and pick a fight with a Ford Explorer SUV and an older Subaru Legacy sedan. Easy prey, you would say, right? Well, guess again.
The current Aston Martin Vantage is a two-seat sports car in production since 2018 with the 4.0-liter M177 Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo V8 or the 5.2-liter AE31 Aston Martin twin-turbo V12 under the hood. Interestingly, when Aston Martin returned to Formula One during the 2021 season, they also introduced a commemorative Vantage F1 Edition based on the season's official F1 Safety Car, with pricing starting just shy of $200k.
The Vantage F1 Edition has increased engine power to 528 hp, a maximum speed of 314 kph (195 mph), 21-inch alloy wheels, and a big wing at the back, plus a zero to 62 mph (100 kph) time of 3.5 seconds. It is only available in three colors: Aston Martin Racing Green, Jet Black, and Lunar White, but you can have it both as a coupe and a convertible.
As it turns out, that Lunar White Vantage F1 present at the dragstrip was indeed the Roadster version, but that shouldn't make it any less prone to marvelous feats of performance. Well, maybe because of a lack of proper competition, this Aston Martin didn't give all it had at the track that night. Instead, it managed a 'meh' 12.43s versus 13.79s victory against the Explorer and a rather shameful win against the old Legacy with 12.83s versus 14.45s times.
Frankly, we were not expecting a ten-second result from the little convertible, although it's lightweight and equipped with one of the best engines on the market. But with Ford Mustang Dark Horse pony cars posting quarter-mile times in the low 12s, this Vantage F1 isn't exactly the fastest out there, despite its resounding price tag. At least the sound was glorious enough to keep us around for the entirety of the video feature. Alas, if you're not exactly a fan, this Aston hardly will make you think otherwise of the British brand…
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News