Last week, the Autoblog spies spotted the convertible version of Aston Martin’s upcoming hardcore Vantage, expected to adopt the RS suffix. As the rumored name indicates, and as the hardcore bodywork makes obvious, the Vantage RS is a much more focused super sports car that wants to start a fight with the incredibly prolific Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and now the CarSpyMedia YouTube channel has filmed the coupe pushing hard on the Nürburgring – so hard that you hear the underbody covers scraping as the suspension compresses. That video is embedded below.
Aston Martin Vantage ‘RS’ Is Much More Aggressive
Since all Aston Martin products are turbocharged these days, whether they have eight cylinders or 12, there’s not much character to the exhaust note, but whatever engine is chosen (the lighter 4.0-liter V8 is most likely), over 700 horsepower is expected, with a redesigned grille gulping air in. Air is a very important part of this car’s potential, and numerous aerodynamic upgrades have been fitted, including a deeper front splitter with winglets on each end, helping clean the ariflow passing by the turbulent wheel arches.
The side skirts and recessed lower door pick this ariflow up and pass toward the rear, where the muscular arches dar the eye to a massive, almost F1-like rear wing. This has curved endplates that are separated from the main cross-section in shape, as they’ll help grab the air flowing over the arches, while the main wing element, with its recessed center, deal with the air coming from the glasshouse. This Vantage RS development mule also has a nearly finished difuser that shifts the four exhaust tips closer to the center. These don’t have the detailed finishers you’d expect from an Aston, so there’s clearly still development work taking place on the final design and the panel in which these tips will sit.
Aston Martin Vantage ‘RS’ Will Be Pricey
For 2026, the Aston Martin Vantage starts at $194,500, while the S just sneaks under $200k with a starting MSRP of $199,500 before destination, which can vary by dealer but is usually over $3,000. With options, a Vantage S can easily reach $300,000, and that means this more extreme Vantage RS could be more costly than the 911 GT3 RS it appear to be aimed at. For the record, the latter is no longer available on the Porsche configurator, but pricing was generally north of $250,000, with highly specced versions exceeding $300k. But pricing won’t necessarily be a problem for the extreme Vantage because a 992.2 facelift for the GT3 RS is in the works, and it’ll undoubtedly be much pricier. However, it may also be much faster, potentially adopting forced induction, just like the Vantage. Rumors suggest around 650 hp to leave room for ultimate 911, a new GT2 RS. To put it mildly, this hardcore baby Aston Martin is going to have its work cut out for it.
Related: The Biggest Problem With a Manual Aston Martin Isn’t the Gearbox
