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Mercedes will still provide V8 engines to Aston Martin

News of Mercedes suspending sales of the vast majority of its V8-powered cars for the 2022 model year hit the presses about a week ago. However, what wasn’t explained then was the fate of Aston Martins with Mercedes-AMG V8 engines. Many Aston Martin products are powered by AMGÂ’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine (the M 177 version affecting AMG products), and itÂ’s one of the motors that we reportedly wonÂ’t see in Mercedes-AMG products next year. Since AMG is struggling to fit its cars with its own engine, that brings into question Aston MartinÂ’s supply of V8s. Car and Driver got some answers from Aston, though, and the situation in the UK doesnÂ’t appear anywhere near as dire as in Germany. “Aston Martin confirms that its supply of V8 engines from Aston Martin AG is not affected," an Aston Martin spokesperson told Car and Driver. So there you have it. AstonÂ’s AMG V8-powered vehicles — Vantage, DB11 and DBX — will supposedly carry on sales without interruption. ThatÂ’s great news for Aston Martin and any uber-wealthy folks who intend to buy one.  At the same time, Mercedes isn't completely out of the V8 game for 2022. In fact, it's still selling cars that directly compete with Aston Martin: AMG GT Coupe and Roadster. Those Mercedes products use the M 178 version of the AMG V8 and are reportedly unaffected by supply issues. ThereÂ’s probably even more to this story as time passes, too. Mercedes has yet to officially acknowledge the stoppage of V8s — we reached out for comment when we published our initial story, but havenÂ’t heard confirmation back yet. When we do, weÂ’ll make sure to update you on whatÂ’s going on. Related video:

Aston Martin Valhalla project rebooted with Mercedes-Benz technology

Aston Martin will leverage its access to the Mercedes-Benz parts shelf to revise the Valhalla it plans to release in the coming years. Specifications haven't been finalized yet, but the supercar will most likely arrive with a German heart. Announced in early 2019 as the Project 003, and named Valhalla later that year, the Ferrari-punching model was on track to make its debut with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 mounted behind its passenger compartment. Aston Martin proudly pointed out that the six was the first engine it developed in-house since the Tadek Marek-designed 5.3-liter V8 entered production in 1969. These plans changed after Daimler purchased a 20% stake in the firm, however. Aston Martin boss Tobias Moers (whose last position was at the head of Mercedes-AMG) told investors that his team is "re-assessing" the Valhalla, and that it will "probably have a different drivetrain" than the concept. He didn't reveal what the model will be powered by, and he stressed that nothing is off the table. Mercedes-Benz has a wide range of four-, six-, eight-, and 12-cylinder engines in its parts bin, plus hybrid technology and electric motors. Electrification remains in the pipeline regardless of the path the company chooses to take. "With the transformational technology agreement with Mercedes-Benz, there are other chances for us regarding combustion engines, but we still have an electrified drivetrain," he said without providing more specific details. It sounds like Aston will make visual tweaks to the Valhalla, too, because Moers revealed that buyers will be shown an updated version of the car in the next four months. It's unclear whether it will be presented to the public, too. Regardless, the car's introduction is tentatively scheduled for late 2023, so it will likely arrive here as a 2024 model. Moers confirmed that a plug-in hybrid model with what he described as "a reasonable electric range" will join the Aston Martin range in the coming years, too. He added that three new variants of the DBX, the firm's first SUV, are on their way as well. One is a plug-in hybrid. Details about the others aren't known, but another could be a sportier version positioned at the top of the range. Finally, the first electric Aston Martin will arrive in about 2025.

Aston Martin may soon follow Ferrari with a London IPO

Aston Martin may soon be following Ferrari's lead, as Automotive News reports that people within the British automaker say it may soon consider an initial public offering. If it happens Aston Martin will likely list in London, not New York like Ferrari. While some in the industry were initially wary of Ferrari's move, the company is doing better than ever, with shares rising 62 percent since its IPO in 2015. An IPO could be a huge plus for Aston Martin. The company is looking to boost both sales and profit. Ferrari and Aston Martin sell similar vehicles at similar price points, but Ferrari has a much wider audience, even if most of those fans will never even sit inside one of its cars. That would likely be a big sticking point in estimating Aston Martin's value. It also moves half as many units as Ferrari per year. Aston Martin does have a new crossover on the horizon. Like Porsche, a crossover has the potential to more than double the automaker's sales. Even without it, fourth quarter profits in 2016 notably increased, fueled by solid sales of the new DB11. The IPO won't happen until sometime next year. The company wants to wait on a full 2017 earnings report. Related Video: News Source: Aston Martin Earnings/Financials Rumormill Aston Martin Ferrari stock