Currently reading: Mercedes looks to extend Aston Martin partnership

Daimler boss confirms his company is open to expanding its tie-in with Aston Martin, possibly to include platform sharing and the revival of Aston's SUV plans

Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche is open to extending Mercedes-Benz’s tie-up with Aston Martin beyond the initial deal signed last month.

Zetsche, speaking to Autocar at the Detroit motor show, said there were currently “no further plans” beyond the deal for Mercedes AMG to supply V8 engines and electrical architectures to Aston in exhange for five per cent of the non-voting shares in Aston, but “we will go for it and see how it develops”.

Insiders at both Aston and Mercedes have hinted that the deal could extend into platform sharing, including an Aston Lagonda SUV based on the Mercedes GL.

Zetsche said the deal came about after Aston Martin “came to the conclusion that it would be important if not necessary to have a partnership for future technology”.

“Electronic architectures and engines require big investment that can be hard to secure on small volumes,” added Zetsche. “We have a supply agreement that is good for them and good for us as it’s an entry point to a five per cent [share in Aston]. It’s a good move for both sides.”

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Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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JonnyComeLately 15 January 2014

Aston germanification

I think people are missing the point.

You want a fully English Aston Martin? Well then it won't be around very much longer.
Scales of economy and a tough marketplace are not in AM's favour and has not been for some time.
This old beating drum for Brittania uber alles is long in the tooth.

Mercedes is Aston's best bet for growth. By being assimilated in the Borgs....sorry VW empires list of Brands I would agree there be reason to worry.
But Mercedes are looking to offset costs themselves and view this as a way for both to benefit. If Aston want Chassis, they are capable enough to modify it their signature requirements, it needn't be a SLC(R190) copy cat.

And at least now Aston would have the firepower to take on Porsche and win!
Good times coming for Aston because of this, wait and see.

Speedraser 14 January 2014

NO!!!

^^^ No, Orangewheels, it would be a horrendous starting point for a new Vantage. First, VH is still a superb and entirely up to date platform. Second, it's an ASTON MARTIN. An "Aston Martin" that is a Benz underneath may as well not exist. If I want a Benz, I'll buy a Benz. I bought an Aston Martin because I wanted an Aston Martin. This is exactly the kind of thing I was worried about when the engine deal was announced, and my fears are now growing. There is absolutely no point in an Aston that is a modified Mercedes. Appalling.
7ocus 14 January 2014

Totally Agree with Speedraser

Aston Martin is one of the last of the British Automotive Jevels that have not reached the German piggy bank, so Mercedes is desperate to take a slice of the English delicacy., after BMW and VW occupied important place at the infamous banquet.
Merc needs to move over the English channel for many reasons, and I guess that one of them is to add some prestige to a brand that took a very big step on its way to irrelevance once the MB CLA was launched.
It seems to me that these days notions such as luxury and exclusivity were excised from German car manufacturers' philosophy (just look what VW did with Bentley; nothing more than a little up-marketed Audi, not always 'Made in England' , who sold 10,120 units in 2013 and became a 'mass market luxury brand').
So, my concern is that, just as Maybach became a sufix for an up-graded S-series model, Aston Martin would not get to become some kind of a trim level for a future AMG-badged 'mass market exclusive sports car'.
Orangewheels 14 January 2014

Vantage Replacement?

You'd have thought the platform that Mercedes are developing for the new 911 size sportscar to undercut / replace the SLS would be an ideal starting point for Aston with the Vantage replacement, as the VH architecture must be getting on a fair bit now.