[Video] Aston Martin Returns to Endurance Racing with the New Vantage GTE

This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans will see Aston Martin’s return to endurance racing.

Aston Martin has just officially announced their return to FIA World Endurance Championship racing and they are doing so with a new racecar. The Vantage GTE is a stunning and fitting replacement for their Vantage GT2, of which it is based.The new Vantage GTE marks the first time since 2008 that Aston Martin will field a racer in Le Mans racing. Decked out in Gulf Livery, the new Vantage model features upgrades and improvements in the areas of handling, drivetrain, engine and suspension.

Running on a 4.5-liter V8 engine, it features new cylinder heads, valves, camshafts, connecting rods and a racing-spec exhaust. The engine is paired to a six-speed sequential gearbox.

"It's great to be returning to our core motorsport activity; production-based GT racing. It formed the basis for Aston Martin's return to competition when the DBR9 GT1-racer was launched in 2004, and it was in GT racing that we achieved our famous victories at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008," said Aston Martin Lagonda Chairman David Richards.The new Aston Martin Vantage GTE will make its competitive debut in the 12 Hours of Sebring in March before tackling the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three drivers have been named so far, being Stefan Mucke, Adrian Fernandez and Darren Turner.

[Video] Aston Martin Returns to Endurance Racing with the New Vantage GTE

More Photos of the Most Powerful Lotus Ever: The Evora GTE

Lotus has just released some more photos of their most powerful model yet.
The Lotus Evora GTE first arrived in concept form at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August and then came to the Frankfurt International Auto Show in September as a production car. The racer boasts the most power ever for a production Lotus model and in these new photos released by the British automaker, looks stunning in its yellow and black track-day outfit.As previously reported by CarBuzz, the Evora GTE gets 438hp out of its racing-inspired 3.5-liter V6.
The motor is matched to a bespoke automated manual transmission. This is the same V6 that is currently equipped on the Evora S. Lotus has given the Evora GTE an egregious amount of carbon fiber fitted in both the interior and exterior for weight saving measures.The carbon fiber rear wing, doors and both bumpers have in fact saved the street-legal racer over 165lbs. It sits on a set of forged lightweight alloy wheels.Check out the photos of the new Lotus Evora GTE racer below.