Are race cars really faster than road cars?

Mat Watson puts Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage to the ultimate test, racing it against the GT8 and the GT4 race car to see which is fastest down the quarter-mile. 

Are race cars actually faster than road cars in a straight line? That’s exactly what we’re about to find out, as I pit an older Aston Martin V12 Vantage against a Vantage GT8 and a GT4 race car to see which is quickest over the quarter-mile.

Let’s take a closer look at the stats.

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Aston Martin V12 Vantage

This V12 Vantage from 2010 packs a 5.9-litre naturally aspirated V12, delivering 517hp and 570Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, and the car weighs in at 1,680kg. Originally priced at £136,000, it’s now valued at around £80,000.

Aston Martin Vantage GT8

From 2016, this Vantage GT8 is powered by a 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8, producing 446hp and 490Nm of torque. Like the V12 Vantage, power goes to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Weighing 1,510kg, it cost £165,000 when new and today is worth around £150,000.

Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Race Car

This Vantage GT4 race car is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, tuned to 476hp under GT4 regulations, with a hefty 639Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox, and the car weighs in at 1,500kg, giving it a sharp, race-ready performance. It’s currently worth around £250,000.

So you’ve got the numbers, but want to see which Aston Martin comes out on top? Watch the video to find out!

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