Aston Martin has previewed what appears to be an uprated version of its Aston Martin Vantage coupé ahead of an official unveiling on Monday.
No details have been published, and the darkened preview image gives little away, but we can see that the modifications include a large rear spoiler, bespoke wheel designs and aggressive side air outlets.
The colour scheme of the preview car appears to mirror that of the recently revealed Vantage safety car that will be used for the 2021 Formula 1 season, suggesting that this could be a road-going version of the track car.
Certainly, the visual clues point to a relationship between the two, and the reveal date is just a few days before Aston Martin makes its first appearance on a F1 grid in more than 60 years.
It's reasonable to suggest that the new arrival will bring added power and promises of improved dynamics over the standard car, as is the case with the safety car.
That means power from the Vantage's AMG-derived 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 will likely be upped from 503bhp to 528bhp, and while torque output will remain unchanged at 461lb ft, a recalibrated gearbox should allow for a flatter torque curve - improving acceleration at higher speeds.
The aero package visible in this preview image will be more than just an aesthetic upgrade. Aston claims the safety car's bulky front splitter alone can produce 155.6kg of downforce at 124mph - more than double what the standard car's item is capable of.
If the car being unveiled on Monday is mechanically identical to the safety car, it will also feature an upgraded chassis set-up with added reinforcements at the front end for improved stiffness.
The interior is less likely to be substantially changed, given that the main modifications for the safety car were related to the radio and television equipment necessary for track usage.
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So many problems with the design of the Vantage, inside and out. Even Aston has blamed it for their poor sales and corporate results. And gone further with a redesigned nose.
This edition will help with the rear wing hide some of its blobbyness as the lines of the car fall away like melted cheese on the side of your toast.
But the fact still remains. To save Aston you need to sack Marek Reichman.
To save Aston Martin they need to get rid of Stroll and Moers, who plan to sack Aston's newly developed bespoke V6 and use only Mercedes powertrains. Now it also seems likely that they'll use Mercedes platforms farther down the road. An "Aston" with a Benz engine or platform is not an Aston. They'll become just a Benz with a Badge. This isn't saving Aston, it's killing it. Unforgivable.
I've been reading your comments, for some time now, and am intrigued.
You clearly have a personal interest here, and I wonder if you were employed by Aston Martin, in some measure, and if you were hurt by some action from Marek Reichman.
You have a mantra, which is repeated, at every opportunity, and that tells me a lot.
You must, surely, realise that your criticism of Marek Reichman designs on these forums will have absolutely no influence on anyone with any kind of influence.
He is a talented designer - you should, perhaps, let it go?
Yep, Reichmann is brilliant, at least we can all agree on that. The Vantage and DB11 are modern examples of truly superlative design, and even the DBX is hot. Marek, us Autocar readers raise our glasses to you. We look forward to what you've got coming up.
Power and torque, is that enough?, think it's at least a hundred shy of where it needs to be.