• Hardcore Aston Martin Vantage prototype caught with eight exhausts.
  • Provisional tailpipes and revised aero hint at a focused, track-ready flagship.
  • A potential Vantage RS or AMR could borrow tricks from the GT4 racecar.

Aston Martin is putting a Vantage prototype through its paces at the Nurburgring, and it looks like a harder-edged, track-focused version. This one arrives with eight exhaust pipes and a fixed rear wing, which is more than enough to catch the eye of anyone trackside, including our spy photographers.

Let’s address the obvious first. That unusual exhaust layout looks like something gone off script, but it is unlikely Gaydon’s engineers have suddenly developed a taste for excess plumbing. This is an early prototype, and appearances at this stage tend to mislead as much as they reveal.

More: Aston Martin Lost $666 Million Last Year And Is Still Testing A Hypercar Nobody Knew Existed

Half of those tailpipes are almost certainly for show, carried over from the standard Vantage setup. The real outlets appear to be the quad pipes tucked closer to the center, already darkened by use. The rest look fake, at least for now.

The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight

Baldauf

The prototype runs without camouflage, given that it borrows its bumpers from the regular Vantage. Beyond the cutout in the rear diffuser, the changes are easy to spot, including a more pronounced front splitter and a fixed rear wing. It also appears to sit on the Vantage S’s Y-spoke 21-inch forged alloys, paired with drilled brake discs and green calipers.

More: Aston Martin Just Built A Supercar That’s Fast Without The Flash

The production version will likely move things further, with a revised bodykit, sharper aero, and centrally mounted quad tailpipes to set it apart from the rest of the range.

What Lies Under The Hood?

Unlike previous generations, the current baby Aston Martin is exclusively available with an AMG-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. The current Vantage makes 656 hp (489 kW / 665 PS), while the Vantage S produces 671 hp (500 kW / 680 PS). Even so, the engine has more to give, as other applications have already shown.

The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight

Baldauf

More importantly, the model will likely gain a revised suspension setup designed for track use. This could be curated by the AMR (Aston Martin Racing) division, which is responsible for the Vantage GT3 and GT4 racecars.

More: Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Racer Makes Our Appetite For A Hotter Road-Legal Version

Aston Martin has yet to confirm a hotter Vantage, but judging from the spy shots, it could arrive within the next couple of years, possibly with a limited production run. It remains to be seen whether the new sports car will stick to the AMR branding, as with the upcoming performance variant of the DB12.

The Regular Vantage Has Four Exhaust Pipes, This Prototype Has Eight
Aston Martin Vantage GT4