Aston Martin Vantage A3 marks 100th anniversary of firm's oldest car
Three examples of visually distinctive V8 soft-top will be built
Aston Martin will build a limited-run Vantage Roadster with unique design cues to mark the 100th anniversary of the A3, the firm’s oldest surviving sports car.
Only three examples will be produced, with bespoke flourishes inspired by the 1921 model including a black grille with aluminium surround, black exterior paint and 20in forged black wheels with bronze brake calipers.
Chestnut tan leather and stitching features on the interior of the car, with the marque's name embroidered in a heritage-inspired script, as seen in the original. The Vantage’s gauge surrounds have also been cast from brass, and the original-design Aston Martin logo features throughout.
The redesigned Vantage was commissioned by Aston Martin’s HWM dealership, its longest-serving retailer, in partnership with the firm’s bespoke Q division. The mechanical parts will remain the same, with the turbocharged Mercedes-AMG V8 engine capable of 0-62mph in around 3.5sec and 0-100mph in about 7.0sec.
“It is only right that this great marque takes the opportunity to celebrate the centenary of its oldest surviving model and I am thrilled that my team, working with the Aston Martin Heritage Trust and Aston Martin HWM, have been able to create this tasteful yet suitably exhilarating tribute to our historic forebear,” said Q director Simon Lane.
The original A3, which was restored to its original factory specification by pre-war Aston specialist Ecurie Bertelli, was acquired by the Aston Martin Heritage Trust in 2002. It will be presented at a centenary celebration event on 26 June, alongside several rare Aston Martin models.
Also at the event will be other pre-war Aston Martin and Lagonda vehicles, a V8 showcase, Gaydon-era sports cars and the British firm’s current model range.
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