The 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S driven in Spain on the Ascari circuit.

There is a near-NASCAR V-8 rumble out the back as you rocket down the kinked straight, letting the S upshift on its own at 7000 rpm.

Peeking, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Still at 4.7 liters, the V-8’s power is upped from 420 to 430 bhp and 346 lb.-ft. of torque to 361, thanks to changes to the intake tract and the spark timing.

Aston didn’t have an official 0–60 time, but it is likely sub-4.5 seconds with a claimed top speed of 189 mph.

So, what makes the new V8 Vantage S special? Well, apart from having revised bodywork that makes it look a lot like its V12 Vantage brother, it weighs 66 lb less than a standard Vantage, plus its 4.7-liter V-8 now pumps out 430 bhp and 361 lb.-ft. of torque.

Aston Martin says the new, driver-focused V8 Vantage S bridges the performance gap between the standard V8 Vantage and the GT4 race car, which won its class at the Nürburgring 24 and at the Spa 24 Hours.