Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz have formally launched their new technical partnership, having first signed a letter of intent in July.
The principle benefit of the deal for Aston Martin is access to AMG's technical resources, allowing it to develop a bespoke range of V8 engines to power its next-generation models.
In return, Daimler will receive five per cent of the non-voting shares in Aston Martin and an observer status on the company's board of directors.
In a statement today, the two companies said they plan to expand the agreement to cover sharing electronic components, and "will investigate additional areas of operation" in the future.
One area of expansion already discussed involves the two companies sharing vehicle platforms. Speaking to Autocar earlier this year, Aston Martin boss Ulrich Bez said the deal could work in the same way as VW Group's operations, which has allowed Porsche to use the Volkswagen Touareg platform to create the Cayenne.
Such a move could also lead to the revival of Aston Martin's Lagonda SUV concept. The Lagonda was first seen at the Geneva motor show in 2009, but was moved to the back burner because a suitable vehicle platform could not be found. Bez has already confirmed that work has resumed on the full-size SUV, which could be seen as early as 2017.
A statement from Aston Martin read: "Our company is this year celebrating its centenary, and the partnership agreed today underpins prospects for Aston Martin’s bright, vibrant and dynamic second century in the sports car business.”
“This strategic collaboration for Aston Martin will, in our next generation of luxury sports cars, offer our customers increased performance and efficiency whilst retaining the unique character and style of an Aston Martin.”
Mercedes boss Tobias Moers said the agreement was "a real win-win" situation for both companies.
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Bespoke
AM essential.
Maybe that should be the new Aston Model The AM V8 Essential
Get over it
Happy Deludenoids
Reality is the last thing owners and those who want to be owners will embrace. I've met Ferrari owners who claim not to know that the company is part of Fiat, and Maserati owners who wouldn't consider a 911 on the grounds that it's 'really just' a VW Beetle. One of them actually said that. Aston Martin buyers are just as bad, labouring under the ridiculous delusion that only in this country can we imbue a machine with a personality and soul and affecting to believe that the engines in their cars are lovingly carved from centuries od English oak whereas foreigners - particularly Germans and Japanese (funny that) - just press a button on the sausage/sushi machine and out pop 10,000 identical engines (all lacking any soul, obviously). These are then dropped into the cars by robots or men trained to perform like robots, whereas our chaps recite sonnets and morris dance at the same time because they are, well, fine upstanding English yeoman.
A friend who took delivery of a DB9 earlier this year (replacing a much loved M6) says he thinks its shortcomings are deliberately engineered-in to remind buyers that it is a 'bespoke' product and not just another mass-produced machine. He's not stupid, he's made a lot of money to pay for the car, but he so badly wants to believe this that sometimes I think he just might do so.
Bullfinch wrote:Halfabee
haha there is a lot of delusions regaurding owners and their cars. I know an Alfa Romeo Brera Owner who thinks his car is platform engineered Ferrari. Ferrari are renowned for their front wheel drive four cylinder set-ups.