Aston Martin has launched a new version of its bestselling Vantage, as well as the race-only Vantage GTE.

The Vantage features new elements inside and out. The look is bold with minimal front and rear overhangs, muscular flanks and an extended grille, connected to the front diffuser. At the back, the tail lights have been dramatically redesigned with LED bars highlighting the silhouette of the car. The interior is equally aggressive, with sporty seats and contrasting-coloured accents.

Powered by 4.0-litre, 503 hp twin-turbo V8 engine sourced from Mercedes-AMG, the 685Nm of torque is fed through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. 100 km/h arrives in 3.6 seconds and speed tops out at 314 km/h .

The new Vantage GTE is specifically built for the new FIA World Endurance Championship. Aston Martin mentions the powertrain, chassis and aerodynamics are all extensively optimised from the road car but has not disclosed specifics. While both cars are launched to the public on the same day, the Vantage GTE has already completed 13,000 km of testing during development, including a 30-hour run at the Spanish circuit of Navarra.

Alcon braking systems and Öhlins suspension can be found on the new race car, and it will be running on Michelin bespoke tyres instead of Dunlops seen on its predecessor. Aston Martin has also announced the driver line-up, which includes Darren Turner, Jonny Adam, Nicki Thiim, Marco Sørensen and newcomer Alex Lynn.