Incorporating numerous lessons learned from its Le Mans class-winning, GT1-specification DBR9 sibling, Aston Martin’s new Vantage GT2 model was aimed principally at customer teams intending to contest series such as the American Le Mans Series and FIA GT Championship, and standalone events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Featuring a similar bonded aluminium chassis to the road car, albeit one further stiffened by the addition of a roll cage, the Vantage GT2 employed a dry-sump, 4.5-litre version of Aston Martin’s familiar V-8 engine; the resulting unit producing around 450 horsepower. Extensive use of carbon fibre panels enabled weight to be reduced to around 1,150 kilograms; the same material being employed in the car’s downforce-generating front splitter, flat floor, rear diffuser, and rear wing.

Renowned race and rally operation Prodrive designed and built 10 units of the Vantage GT2 chassis under the auspices of Aston Martin Racing, of which this example—chassis V8/X2—was the factory development prototype. The car made its debut at the Official Le Mans Series Test at Circuit Paul Ricard on 3 March 2008, where it was driven by Aston Martin Racing stalwarts Darren Turner and Tomáš Enge. It emerged fourth fastest of the nine GT2 cars present, with a best lap just two seconds shy of the pace-setting IMSA Performance Porsche 997 RSR.

Following its appearance at the FIA GT Championship Official Test at Nogaro, chassis V8/X2 returned to the French track in October for its long-awaited race debut. Entered by AMR in the Nogaro 2 Hours—round eight of the 2008 FIA GT Championship—the car was driven by Enge with Stefan Mücke, in whose hands it finished 20th overall and won the invitational G2 class. Just two weeks later, the pair secured the G2 class again at Zolder, on this occasion finishing a creditable 16th overall.

The 2009 season panned out with V8/X2 used only sparingly, an entry into the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series—the Okayama 1,000 Kilometres—representing the car’s sole race outing. Entered under the Team Hong Kong Racing banner, Enge qualified the car superbly to take the GT2 class pole, although the accommodation of local amateur co-drivers Jeffrey Lee and Philip Ma restricted the team to 17th position overall, and 9th in GT2, at the chequered flag.

Chassis V8/X2 next returned to competition in 2011, in the LMS-organised 6 Heures du Castellet. Bearing the white-and-red livery of the factory-affiliated Young Driver AMR squad, it was driven by Enge and Alex Müller; the pair qualifying a superb 2nd in the GTE Pro category, behind the class pole-winning Ferrari 458 GT2 of former Minardi Formula 1 driver Gianmaria Bruni. However, the race proved a disappointment, with the car retiring from the race just after three-quarter distance. Although retained by Young Driver AMR and campaigned at April’s Le Mans Test Day by Enge, Müller, and Kristian Poulsen, chassis V8/X2 was only afforded a reserve entry for the 24-hour race itself, and remained unused for the remainder of the year.

However, 2012 had chassis V8/X2 promoted to the full factory squad—and newly resplendent in the team’s iconic Gulf colours—for an assault on the GTE Am category at Le Mans. Crewed by the all-Danish lineup of Allan Simonsen, Christoffer Nygaard, and Poulsen, the trio finished fastest in the category at the Test Day in early June. Such optimism continued into the race weekend, with Simonsen qualifying 3rd in GTE Am, little more than a second behind the class-leading Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche. Regrettably, this was not to last, however, for a misfire demoted Simonsen from a fine 2nd in class after the first hour, with accident damage eliminating the car from the race entirely after just 31 laps.

Appropriately, chassis V8/X2’s competitive swansong was to be on home territory, in August’s Silverstone 6 Hours. Driven on this occasion by emerging GT talent Jonny Adam, and gentleman drivers Andrew Howard and Paul White, it regrettably retired after 157 of the 194 scheduled laps with engine failure.

Following the conclusion of its Aston Martin Racing career, chassis V8/X2 was retained by Prodrive for display purposes until 2021, when it was briefly sold to a German collector. However, later that year it was acquired by the present owner, who promptly entrusted it to specialists BBM Sport and Pursuit Racing of Bicester, UK—who have restored three of the cars built—for full restoration and recommissioning to race-worthy condition.

Subsequent work performed has included the supply and fitment of a brand new engine from Prodrive, rebuilds of the gearbox, differential, and suspension, as well as uprating the electrical, fuel, hydraulic, cooling, and safety systems to the appropriate current, FIA-legal standards. Additionally, the car underwent a comprehensive body restoration—ensuring optimal fit of all panels and components—and a full re-livery to its 2012 Le Mans specification. Notably, the cost of all new components and work performed amounted to almost £360,000.

While the last five years of historic motorsport have no doubt favoured cars from the post-2000 era and subsequent decade—with the grid of Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends now split into two separate races to cope with demand and Masters Endurance Legends series fielding races in Europe, the USA, and even Dubai—chassis V8/X2, as the development prototype for GT2 and GTE classes, could be a worthy winner in any such event. Currently configured in the correct specification for Masters events, chassis V8/X2 could be reconfigured without paddle-shift gear changes for compliance with the Peter Auto series.

This V8 Vantage GT2 could easily be as competitive on track as its contemporary rivals from Porsche and Ferrari while remaining significantly rarer. Chassis V8/X2’s results in FIA GT races and qualifying further underlines its ability to win races. The British-built racer is an exciting alternative to its European-made rivals.