Aston Martin says not yet to hybrids, debuts new V12 engine

Original source (on modern site) | Article images: [1] [2]

Aston Martin has spoken about its electrification strategy in the past year, pledging a full lineup of electrified vehicles by 2030 including both its core and limited models. The Aston Martin Valhalla hybrid supercar is on the way and the luxury brand signed a deal with the Lucid Group to share EV technology. However, before all of that, the company is introducing a new twelve-cylinder engine.

The new, turbocharged, twelve-cylinder will be the powerplant of an upcoming flagship model, according to the company. Press information points to it being the return of the Vanquish name, a historical one that was teased in 2020 as a mid-engine hybrid coupe then delayed in 2023. This new engine will not be a hybrid.

The British automaker, with majority stakeholder Canadian investor Lawrence Stroll, is one of the last electrified vehicle holdouts as even French supercar maker Bugatti is in the process of developing a hybrid. Aston Martin's most sought-after vehicles will still house a twelve-cylinder engine.

"It's the dawn of a dazzling new V12 era for Aston Martin," Chief Technical Officer, Roberto Fedeli said in a press release, noting the engine is a statement of engineering passion and technical prowess. The new V12 will deliver an astounding 823 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.

Aston Martin V12. Aston Martin introduced a new V12 to replace its current version. Aston Martin

The company highlighted the complete redesign of the existing engine with a strengthened cylinder block and connecting rods, redesigned cylinder heads and reprofiled camshafts along with new intake and exhaust ports. Aston also said that new turbochargers will deliver better throttle response than the previous twelve-cylinder.

"Car brands like Aston are selling emotion and exclusivity more than anything else, and there's nothing more thrilling or rare than the wail of a V12 engine at wide open throttle. So, it makes sense that they would lean into this space and to make it their own Even as other supercar rivals like Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Ferrari are more aggressively pursuing electrification," David Undercoffler, Editor-in-Chief at Autolist told Newsweek.

Aston Martin says it is still committed to continuing its "25-year bloodline of V12-engined flagships" showcasing the company's in-house engineering ability. Aston also called itself "a defender of emotional engagement."

When Aston's EV rollout does start in earnest, it will include an SUV, a low-profile SUV with coupe styling, a sports car and a hypercar. CEO Stroll said the four cars have already been designed and deliveries will start in 2027. He also explained that there are two different markets. The sports car customers say they still want sound and smell, while with the SUVs electrification is more important because they are often used for daily driving.

"While an era of aggressively electrified supercars is probably inevitable, Aston is betting on enough daylight between now and then that it can still pursue V12 development," said Undercoffler.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

");jQuery(this).remove()}) jQuery('.start-slider').owlCarousel({loop:!1,margin:10,nav:!0,items:1}).on('changed.owl.carousel',function(event){var currentItem=event.item.index;var totalItems=event.item.count;if(currentItem===0){jQuery('.owl-prev').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-prev').removeClass('disabled')} if(currentItem===totalItems-1){jQuery('.owl-next').addClass('disabled')}else{jQuery('.owl-next').removeClass('disabled')}})}})})

< Back to 68k.news CH front page