Debuting in 2008, the V8 Vantage GT2 is the most powerful racing variant of the V8 Vantage family. Designed to meet FIA and ACO GT2 class regulations, the Vantage GT2 would become a customer car for use in the FIA GT Championship, American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and 24 Hours of Le Mans. The V8 Vantage GT2 has been tuned to be capable of running E85 ethanol or normal racing fuel, dependent on the racing series. Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2 saw its racing debut at the 2008 Grand Prix of Long Beach, driven by Paul Drayson, a former Minister of State in the United Kingdom, and Jonny Cocker, 2004 British GT Champion. James Watt Automotive ran the V8 Vantage GT2 in the Le Mans Series 2008, although the car failed to make the start of its debut race due to mechanical problems. The V8 Vantage GT2 was used by A Speed Team in the 2010 Super GT season. JMW Motorsport ran a V8 Vantage GT2 in the Le Mans Series 2010. Following the poor performance of the Aston Martin AMR-One prototype, Aston Martin Racing decided to switch to running the Vantage as a factory effort in 2012. The car was slightly upgraded and was called the Vantage GTE, which has improved bodywork and engine performance over the older GT2 model. One car was entered into the FIA World Endurance Championship, and a second car appeared at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the 2012 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season, Multimatic Motorsports entered two Vantages in the series, using the 4.7-litre V8 engine. Upon debut at Daytona International Speedway, they finished sixteenth. In 2012, Aston Martin unveiled a racing version of the V12 Vantage to replace the aging Aston Martin DBRS9 (which also used a V12 engine). The engine develops and . A carbon fibre drive-shaft mates the engine to an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission with automated paddle-shift gear change. The Vantage GT3 has a dry weight of , with near 50/50 front/rear weight distribution. The car competed in the FIA GT1 World Championship and the Blancpain Endurance Series, while Tony Quinn raced the GT3 Vantage to second place in the 2013 Australian GT Championship.