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Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz expand collaboration

Aston Martin on Tuesday expanded a deal with Daimler to access the German automaker's technology, including its hybrid and electric drive systems, in exchange for new shares as the struggling British luxury carmaker's new boss drives changes. The company will place 250 million new shares with new and existing institutional investors at 50 pence (currently around 65 cents) a share, said the 107-year car maker that hired Tobias Moers, former CEO of Mercedes-AMG, to become its boss from August. The new shares issued would increase the size of Mercedes-Benz's stake to no more than 20% by 2023 from the current 2.6% in several stages. "We take another major step forward as our long-term partnership with Mercedes-Benz AG moves to another level with them becoming one of the Company's largest shareholders," said Chairman Lawrence Stroll. The German firm would get the right to nominate one non-executive director to Aston Martin's board after its first shareholding increase. The James Bond car maker, which has started deliveries of its first sport utility vehicle, the DBX, reported third-quarter adjusted core loss of 29 million pounds compared with a profit of 43 million pounds last year and revenue that nearly halved to 124 million pounds. Related Video:

Aston Martin confirms new platform under development

It's been thirteen years since Aston Martin introduced the original V12 Vanquish. The model was effectively been replaced twice over by the time it reached its Bar Mitzvah, but its underlying platform is still around. And not just around, either: it underpins everything Aston makes and has made ever since it came on the scene, save for the Cygnet and the One-77 supercar. That includes the V8 and V12 Vantage, the short-lived Virage, the new Vanquish, the DB9, DBS, V12 Zagato and even the four-door Rapide. But while it may seem like forever that Aston's been using the VH platform, it won't be around forever more. In announcing its positive financial results for 2013, Aston Martin CFO Hanno Kirner confirmed: "We are engineering a completely new architecture and technologies to ensure that our next generation of sports cars is at the forefront of design, performance and technology." The new platform is expected to underpin the next generation of Astons Martin, and will be powered by a new V8 engine being developed by Mercedes-AMG, similar to the arrangement that sees V12s furnished to Pagani for the Huayra. Whether an AMG-developed V12 is also in the cards for Aston Martin remains to be seen – the company ran on V8 power alone from the mid 70s (when its six-cylinder engine was retired) until the Ford-developed DB7 brought six- and then twelve-cylinder power. That aging but glorious 6.0-liter engine, by the way, still powers the vast majority of the company's lineup. The platform and associated technologies are being funded by the influx of capital from shareholders Investindustrial, Primewagon and Adeem Investment and by a 13-percent increase in revenue due to the launch of the new Vanquish Volante and V12 Vantage S, as well as the company's expansion into new markets like Mexico and Thailand. It wasn't long ago that upon spending a week with the company's Vanquish coupe that we fell just short of love, wondering aloud how long Aston could weather its uncertain financial picture while still relying heavily on elderly technology and drivetrains cradled in elderly platforms. We now appear to have our answer, and we like what we're hearing. Aston Martin Holdings (UK) Limited Full Year Results 2013 28 April 2014, Gaydon: Aston Martin Holdings (UK) Limited is today announcing full year results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2013.

Force India: 'Door still open' for Aston Martin partnership

Force India says a partnership that would bring Aston Martin back to Formula 1 remains a possibility for the future, despite talks last year failing to produce a deal. The Silverstone-based outfit had hoped to tie up a partnership with the British sportscar manufacturer for 2016, but in the end the discussions fell through. However, while the matter is off the table for this year, Force India's COO Otmar Szafnauer says his outfit is still hoping that it can resurrect the idea and bring Aston Martin on board for 2017. "I don't think the answer is no," Szafnauer told Motorsport.com. "It was just for 2016 we won't be collaborating. But we will have further discussions later on with Aston to see if there is a possibility for future years." Rules key Szafnauer said that the talks with Aston Martin had been "serious", but thinks that key to completing an agreement will be in F1 delivering a platform of rules that entices the manufacturer in. "For 2017 there is still a possibility and the door is still open," he said. "We will reconvene again and see if there is any possibility for the future. "There were just some decision-making points that were unknown at that time. And they just needed more time to see what the sport was doing about the engine and some other things. "They need to have some of those answers before they can make that decision of entering Formula 1 or not. And only time would give them those answers." When asked if finalized 2017 regulations would be a help, he said: "Well, that's one of the things. "So when those 2017 regulations are sorted out, everybody knows and then people can make decisions like: 'Do I like them or not?' "But if you're trying to guess what those are, than people say: 'Oh, let me wait and see.' That is exactly one of the reasons. To understand what the regulations are going to be in 2017." Related Video: This article by Jonathan Noble originally appeared on Motorsport.com, the world's leader in auto racing news, photos and video.