Aston Martin Vantage GT3 becomes GT12 after Porsche cries foul

Aston Martin has reportedly renamed its Vantage GT3 after a trademark dispute with rival Porsche.
Lawyers representing the German brand succeeded in arguing that Aston’s use of ‘GT3′ for a road-car nameplate would dilute its established branding, which dates back to the 996 GT3 of 1999, according to Goodwood Road & Racing.

The report points out that Lotus’ Esprit GT3 predates the Porsche usage by a few years. Bentley also uses the term for the Continental GT3, though both Porsche and Bentley are under the same Volkswagen Group corporate umbrella.

Aston Martin reportedly failed to convince Porsche’s legal team that the FIA’s Group GT3 racing class effectively made the term fair game for street-legal cars from other manufacturers.

The Vantage GT3, now known as the Vantage GT12, is heavily inspired by the company’s track cars. The 6.0-liter V12 engine has been retuned to produce 592 horsepower, while the curb weight has been reduced by more than 220 pounds compared to the basic V12 Vantage S.

Aston Martin is said to be switching to the GT12 name for its track cars, helping reinforce the new branding.