24 Hours You'll Remember: Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24 Roadster

When the engine starter button is pushed on every Aston Martin, a message

flashes up on the LCD display that reads, "Power. Beauty. Soul." As tacky as it might seem, it serves a purpose, a reminder of everything that has gone into decades of Aston Martin performance automobiles. It wasn't long ago that Aston struggled to sell a few hundred cars per year, but now they're amongst the more highly demanded exotics on the market, selling every vehicle that they make. The beautiful DB9 and forthcoming DBS are two cars that could easily star as headliners in any daydream, but the car that is really putting Aston on the map is the V8 Vantage.

The V8 Vantage is the baby of the Aston Martin range and although it's the cheapest car they build by quite a large margin, it is no less impressive and no less stunning to behold than any of its more expensive brothers. Designed as a competitor to the likes of the Porsche 911 and company, Aston Martin also offers this vehicle in the form of a roadster.

The V8 Vantage has done a great job of disturbing the peace in the GT segment, and Aston Martin has been cleaning up on the race track too. This particular model displayed in the photos is the N400, a car that is about celebrating its ability to defeat the grueling 24 Hours of Nurburgring, one of the world's most demanding race tracks. This special commemorative model was announced as a coupe, but will also be made as a roadster.

The engine also comes with a few internal modifications plus a redesigned air filter and exhaust that net an extra 20 horsepower over the stock version. Power peaks at 400 horsepower instead of 380, while torque is rated at 310 lb-ft. The N400 comes with its fair share of trinkets, such as a map of the circuit embroidered

into the headrest. With the top down, passersby will also get a glimpse of the interior, which features bright orange contrast stitching on the seats and dash-top. Squint while looking at the badge, and you can make out the shape of the racetrack.

Yes, the standard V8 Vantage that rolls out of the factory is a good looking car, but the N400 improves on it further. It features new side sills as well as an entirely new trunk lid that features a bigger integrated spoiler. Some of the finer details have been switched around too, such as the grille which features a different pattern, and the taillights that feature unique lenses.

It might be an easy assumption to think that Aston Martin would build 400 units of the N400, but this isn't the case. Reports have suggested that only 240 of these vehicles (both roadster and coupe; ten times 24 hours, perhaps?) will be produced, making them an automotive delicacy. For the record, the Day-Glo pylon shade of orange isn't a must, but it certainly looks cool.