Tobias Rehberger’s Le Mans Aston

Back in 2015, Aston Martin’s lead works Vantage GTE, chassis 002, took to the Le Mans grid wearing one of the most striking liveries in recent memory. Created by German artist Tobias Rehberger, the art car design transformed the brutal, carbon-bodied racer into a rolling optical illusion, intended to convey a sense of speed even when standing still.

By that point, the V8 Vantage GTE had already cemented its place at the sharp end of the World Endurance GT Championship. Developed from the proven GT2 platform and upgraded to full GTE specification, it featured a full carbon fibre body, X-trac six-speed sequential gearbox and around 500bhp. Built in partnership with Prodrive, it became the spearhead of Aston Martin Racing’s GTE-Pro campaign from 2013 onwards, scoring multiple class wins with factory drivers Darren Turner and Stefan Mücke and earning a reputation as the most successful Vantage GTE of its era.

Rehberger’s 2015 Le Mans livery marked the second time the number 97 had worn an art-inspired design at La Sarthe, but this was the most visually arresting. A complex, high-contrast graphic wrapped the car in warped lines and fractured geometry, creating a kinetic effect that blurred the boundary between sculpture and competition machine. It was a fitting send-off for the 2013-spec car’s final works season before the updated 2016 GTE arrived.

This iconic Aston Martin Vantage GTE is currently available from Fiskens. Photos © Fiskens / Sam Chick.