2005 Aston Martin Db9 Base 2dr Coupe on 2040-cars

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AMG's partnership with Aston Martin won't extend past engines, for now

There's been talk of late about the technical partnership between Aston Martin and the AMG division of Mercedes-Benz going beyond engines to include Mercedes sports car and SUV platforms for the English brand, perhaps as a way to kickstart the development of a Lagonda SUV. But AMG CEO Tobias Moers, speaking to Top Gear, said that's effectively out of the question because, "No one has the time to discuss any more involvement than that for now."
Moers believes Aston Martin will be so busy "for the next two to three years" integrating its AMG-sourced engine and electronics that it won't have the resources to devote to working out a platform-sharing deal; Daimler sources have already said that Aston Martin's development budget "just isn't enough" to even consider a whole new model, and that greater cooperation would require something like a larger ownership stake in the boutique sports car maker.
AMG, in the meantime, is busy with the recent launch of the GLA45 AMG, the coming C63 AMG and its rumored 4.0-liter V8, the Mercedes-AMG GT and its assault on the Porsche 911 among who-knows-what other skunkworks projects. Moers said the technical partnership is about profit for AMG, clear and simple, and, "All these rumors about platform sharing are nice but no one at Aston or Mercedes has the time to discuss them."

Aston Martin eyes US market for growth

Aston Martin chief executive Andy Palmer is sitting in a rustic Tuscan villa on a sweltering summer night, but his mind is thousands of miles away. He's ruminating on the United States, a lucrative market that could secure Aston's future as an automaker that has proved elusive for decades. The reason? Aston has an identity crisis. Sure, Americans know what Aston Martin is. Mostly. Palmer compares it to the British game of cricket. Many Americans have heard of it. They might even have a vague notion of what it is, but that's about as far as things go. It's the same with Aston. Candidly, Palmer places the blame squarely on his company, admitting Aston executives have been complacent about America. "We've got some work to do in the United States. I think we have assumed that you guys get it because you speak our language," he told a group of mostly US journalists at the launch of the 2017 DB11. That ends now, Palmer said, and Aston's plan to fix the problem will come into sharper focus with the launch of the DBX crossover for 2019. The utility vehicle was designed for an American buyer because the US market is SUV heavy. The target consumer? Someone named Charlotte, a 42-year-old from Southern California. Palmer describes her as someone who wants an elevated ride height and functionality. "She's looking for that safe, secure feeling," Palmer said. The company is adding 750 people and building a factory in Wales to produce the DBX. The site will be able to make 7,000 units annually, which dovetails with Aston's goal of making 7,000 sports cars per year. It's an ambitious plan for a company that made 3,615 cars in 2015 and posted an operating loss. This potential growth is still a few years off, meaning the brand's new DB11 must be a success. Early signs are trending well, and Aston had taken 2,000 orders by the end of June. After that, the company will redesign the Vanquish and Vantage and add the usual open-top variants. Aston's investors have already funded the sports cars and the DBX, and product development spending rose 40 percent in 2015. Aston's ownership group includes a Kuwaiti consortium, Italian backers, and a minority stake held by Daimler, which provides technology like infotainment and V8 engines. In total, Aston plans seven new vehicles in six years.

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato launches with 760 horsepower

The 2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato has finally been revealed in real life, following renderings shown this summer. And with the reveal come additional details, such as the fact that it bears the most powerful version of Aston's twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12 at 760 horsepower. That's an increase of 45 horsepower over the DBS Superleggera. That engine is wrapped in some stunning Zagato-designed bodywork. The fluttering multi-piece grille and rear-windowless roof are the big attention getters, but the fine details impress, too. The front and rear Aston badges are made of 18-carat gold. The interior is unique to the Zagato, featuring a new dashboard and center console. The geometric parts shown in the console are 3D-printed and can be produced in carbon fiber, aluminum, or in the case of the Centenary Specification car above, stainless steel with a real gold coating. The seats also are finished in leather and dotted with Zagato Zs. If those special parts aren't special enough, Q by Aston Martin is willing to work with you to make further modifications. Only 19 DBS GT Zagatos will be built, and all of them have to be purchased as a pair with a DB4 Zagato continuation car. Each pair starts at $7.9 million. Everyone that orders up a pair will have the cars delivered by the end of the year.