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Aston Martin Vantage might get a Mercedes inline-six

Aston Martin has turned its eye to the inline six-cylinder engine Mercedes-Benz installs in the CLS 53. The British carmaker uses an AMG-sourced 4.0-liter V8 for the DB11 and the Vantage, which produces 503 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque in the latter coupe. Aston Martin hasn't said anything about whether or when it would use the inline-six, nor mentioned a product to slot the engine into. If the six does migrate from Germany to England, the move brings several benefits for Aston Martin, and it would create the first six-pot Aston Martin since the 1999 DB7. The 3.0-liter, AMG-built six-cylinder uses an electric turbocharger to put out 430 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, and gets help from a 48-volt EQ Boost micro-hybrid system throwing in 21 hp and 184 lb-ft. After driving it at a Mercedes-Benz test track, Aston Martin's chief engineer Matt Becker called the powerplant "very complicated and clever," and said, "it's a very impressive engine" that he could envision serving the brand. The 2019 Vantage engine bay can already fit the company's in-house, 5.2-liter V12, so a straight-six shouldn't be hard to swallow. As for how it would fit into the lineup, there's a chance a six-cylinder Vantage supplants the V8. However, since Becker said his engineering team "would not necessarily play" with the AMG's power curves, that option would probably have to wait until AMG upped the three-liters' output. We'd be surprised if Vantage buyers would accept giving up two cylinders and 73 hp. More likely, a six-cylinder Vantage could give Aston Martin a new entry-level model to undercut the $153,081 Vantage V8, but with plenty of ponies to thrill. A V6 coupe could also help the carmaker's emissions scores, and serve specific markets such as China where engine displacements greater than three liters get hit with heavy taxes. Related Video:

Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG formalize technical partnership

The development of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin has been a long time coming. The news dates back to 2008, and over the five years since was supposed to lead to a rejuvenation of both the Maybach and Lagonda brands. That program ultimately fell apart, but the tie-in was forged afresh in July when the two automakers signed a letter of intent over a renewed partnership. And now that partnership has been formalized.
In a deal just announced, Mercedes-AMG will build a new V8 engine for Aston Martin that will power a new generation of luxury GTs for the British marque, presumably to replace the 4.7-liter V8 in the Vantage. The relationship appears to be similar to the one already in place between AMG and Pagani, only in this case, will involve Daimler taking as much as a five-percent stake in Aston Martin and an observer seat on Aston's board.
The technical partnership is also set to lead to the supply of electric and electronic systems, and could incorporate "additional areas of cooperation in the future." Whether that will include a fresh attempt at reviving Lagonda remains to be seen, as does the future of Aston's long-serving, Ford-based 6.0-liter V12 engine. But for now you can read the full announcement below.

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.