In the infamous words of Paris Hilton, That's Hot.
Hopefully we'll be able to see it in action.
http://www.wrc.com/page/News/Breakin...17941,00.html?
Quote:
Aston Martin in French rally
Subaru World Rally Team driver Stephane Sarrazin is to drive the first Aston Martin to enter a major rally for a half century on Friday, at the start of the French tarmac championship Lyon-Charbonnieres Rhone Rally. Tests started this morning (Tuesday 18th) in France with initial work setting-up the suspension of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage V8. Sarrazin and codriver Stephane Prevot run as number 15 in the special GT series category, up against cars such as 911 GT3. Like rallies in Belgium, standard production GT cars are allowed to compete on this event, whereas big sports and GT cars have been barred from FIA World Rally Championship since the end of 1986.
This car has been prepared by Prodrive in Britain for the motor sportsman Frederic Dor. A Prodrive spokesman explained "the French federation have listed a series of cars which can run in the category. The Porsche 911 cars offered a benchmark for this project. The Aston looks like being more suitable with a shorter bodywork, longer wheelbase and wider track, though the Porsche is lighter. The power and torque of the two cars are similar. So far the only preparation work has been to add safety equipment and a sump guard. The initial reaction of Stephane (Sarrazin) is that the car is inherently better balance than expected".
The last recorded major win for an Aston Martin was on the 1956 RAC Rally in Britain when a private DB2/4 was driven by Lyndon Sims. The only works Astons in rallying were the year before when three cars were entered on the Monte Carlo Rally where Maurice Gatsonides finished seventh overall and the Grand Prix driver Peter Collins finished 96th!
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