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Aston Martin signs Letter of Intent for technical partnership with AMG

A little over two months ago came reports that Daimler and Aston Martin were in talks, again, about "supply and technical-cooperation agreements." The next step has been taken with Aston Martin announcing that it has signed a Letter of Intent that looks "towards a technical partnership" with Mercedes-AMG GmbH, and the two companies aiming to have definitive agreements done by year's end.
While it will get to use certain electric and electronic components from AMG, the true golden egg for the maker of the Vanquish will be the ability to develop a new line of "bespoke V8 powertrains" that will be fitted to "a new generation of models." In return for opening up the larder, Daimler will get a non-voting stake of up to five percent of Aston Martin.
Nothing else is being said about the tie-up for the moment, but there's a press release below with a few more details.

Mercedes adds V6 to S-Class Coupe range, but it's not coming here

Mercedes scores another point for engine downsizing with the launch of the new S400 4Matic Coupe. The latest addition to the S-Class family is essentially the same as the coupe we know, but instead of a big V8 or V12, it packs a smaller six-cylinder engine. That means less power, of course, but also a lower price of admission and reduced fuel consumption. The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 is the same found in models like the new SL450 and C450 AMG Sport, with 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque on tap. Though the press release below quotes a 0-62 time of 4.6 seconds (same as the more powerful S550 despite an 88-hp deficit), Mercedes spokesman Michael Allner confirmed that it actually takes a much slower 5.6 seconds. Meanwhile fuel economy on the combined European cycle is quoted at the equivalent of 28 miles per gallon, representing an improvement of 3 mpg over the S550 (by European standards). That said, Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Christian Bokich told Autoblog he was unaware of any plans at present to bring the S400 4Matic Coupe to North America. Bummer. Pricing in Germany comes in under ˆ100,000 (including 19 percent tax), undercutting its next-step-up V8 counterpart by a good ˆ25k – and the top-of-the-line S65 by more than half. It joins the S-Class Coupe lineup alongside the S550 4Matic, AMG S63, and AMG S65 we get here, as well as the rear-drive S550 and S63 that we don't. Mercedes-Benz S 400 4MATIC Coupe: New addition to the dream Coupe family Stuttgart, Dec 09, 2015 Mercedes-Benz has extended the S-Class Coupe model range with the addition of the S 400 4MATIC Coupe rated at 270 kW (367 hp) and retailing at an entry-level price beginning at 99,960 euros[1]. This means that six versions of the sporty large Coupe are now available in all -- the S 500 and S 500 4MATIC plus the Mercedes-AMG models S 63, S 63 4MATIC and S 65. Since its launch a good year ago, the S-Class Coupe has already won numerous awards for its breathtaking design, including the "iF product design award 2015" and the "Internet Auto Award 2014" (Europe-wide) as well as best-in-class accolades for the exclusive two-door car in the "autonis" readers' poll of the "auto, motor und sport" magazine and the "All-wheel-drive car of the year 2015" poll conducted by "Auto Bild Allrad". The S-Class Coupe model range previously comprised the S 500, the S 500 4MATIC and the three AMG models S 63, S 63 4MATIC and S 65.

Average new-vehicle transaction price hits a whopping new peak in December

Elevated prices for products and higher borrowing rates led to record high transaction prices for new vehicles in December, with the average cost in the U.S. rising to a record $49,507, according to data from Kelley Blue Book released today. The report notes that ATPs — average transaction prices — have climbed above suggested retail prices — MSRPs — for more than a year. Sales volumes were up in December on a year-over-year basis by more than 5%, a situation Kelley attributed to improved supply. Overall sales for 2022, however, were off 8% year over year. “The transaction data from December clearly indicates overall prices showed no signs of coming down as we headed into year-end,” said Rebecca Rydzewski, research manager of economic and industry insights for Cox Automotive. “Luxury prices fell slightly in December, but non-luxury transaction prices were up. Truck sales were particularly strong last month, and with many trucks selling for more than $60,000, a new record was all but inevitable.” Industry analysts claim the most obvious headwinds in the new car market are generated by higher interest rates, forced by the Federal Reserve's rate hikes intended to tame inflation, and by generally limited inventory. A recent report from J.D. Power showed that the average monthly payment for a new vehicle loan in December was $718, up $47 from a year ago. But 16% of consumers in December took out loans with monthly payments of over $1,000. Consumers think vehicles, and electric vehicles especially, are way too expensive. Fortunately, manufacturersÂ’ incentives, all but extinct in the past two years, are returning, especially in the electric-vehicle and luxury market, the Kelley data suggest. Plus, "With the new tax credits on the way, electric vehicle ATPs will drop lower for qualifying vehicles,” Rydzewski said. Non-luxury brands, such as Honda and Kia, showed particularly strong performance in December, with the average price paid at $45,578 — a record high and an increase of $994 month over month. Meanwhile, the average luxury buyer paid $66,660 for a new vehicle last month. Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover showed the most price strength in the luxury market, transacting between 2.6% to 6.5% over sticker price. But luxury brands Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln, and Volvo showed the least price strength with some discounting in effect, selling 1% or more below MSRP in December, according to the survey.