End of an era: even Aston Martin succumbs to the allure of the electric
End of an era
By the end of the year, the famous British car brand will take the first step towards hybrid systems with the infamous Valhalla supercar that will be the common thread between the current endothermic generation and future hybrid and naturally electric variants.As we know from recent rumors, Valhalla will go into production in 2023 following a thorough design study launched in 2019. Although the car is in the pipeline, it is still unclear which propulsion system will be adopted in as Aston Martin, on several occasions, has revised development plans. The mid-engined two-seater could integrate the electrified 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that will soon make its debut in the Mercedes-AMG GT73 4Matic 4-door Coupé; It is not clear, however, whether the limited spaces in Valhalla will allow Aston Martin to integrate the same 204 hp electric unit adopted by the German brand. Absolute power is expected close to the 1,000 horsepower threshold, effectively targeting the Ferrari SF90 and McLaren Speedtail customers.
Electrification plans
90% of the range in less than 10 years of Aston Martin models will be electrified, with limited production of pure combustion engines that will continue to serve the enthusiast sector and some specific overseas markets where emissions are not yet an issue.electrification of the company will begin towards the end of 2021, with the presentation of a new hybrid version of the DBX SUV perhaps equipped with the same Mild-Hybrid powertrain as the Mercedes E53; if this were the case, we could find a 429 hp British SUV with performance completely comparable to the current petrol variant.
That version will pave the way for a plug-in hybrid variant, Aston's first, in 2023, as revealed by Moers in a call with investors following the release of the company's 2020 results. After DBX, Aston Martin will begin development of its first electric which will arrive on sale no earlier than 2025. No indiscretion yet on the type of model but the sharing of Mercedes' MEA platform is expected, the same introduced with the EQS luxury sedan; therefore waiting for a 100 kWh rechargeable battery up to 350 kW.
Sports cars will not be overshadowed
Although DBX is crucial to Aston's short-term stability, traditional front-engined and GT sports cars are expected to account for 40 % of the brand's ultimate goal of 10,000 sales per year. For this reason, the company will try to reinforce the appeal of older, more historic models such as Vantage, DB11 and DBS Superleggera by donating some incremental updates until 2023.The silhouette will remain unchanged in each model, but the style will be heavily reworked, along with infotainment, chassis and powertrain upgrades. Moers suggested that plug-in hybrid technology could be incorporated when Aston could find a way to integrate an electrified transaxle. AMG's new P3 PHEV system could provide a solution, particularly for Vantage and DB11, which already share a V8 with AMG's flagship PHEV models.
Limited-edition specials, such as the new Vantage F1 Edition and DBS Superleggera Concorde Edition will continue to play a key role in maintaining the sports car market share and the appeal of enthusiasts. As part of the 110th anniversary celebrations in 2023, the company is expected to unveil special editions of all models in the range.
Aston's first electric sports car will arrive in 2025 and has been described as a "version with front engine of the DB11 / Vantage ”by President Lawrence Stroll. Although Mercedes is ready to deliver the transmission, Aston has promised to take ownership of the style, dynamics and interior. In order to fit perfectly into the sporty SUV segment as well, Aston Martin could also unveil a performance-focused variant of the DBX so it can stick to the Lamborghini Urus and Ferrari Pursosangue clientele.
Planned updates include lowered suspension and bespoke styling details, while the more powerful variant of the AMG V8, used by the GT63 S, could be implemented to boost the SUV's power to 630hp.
Lagonda lives
In addition, the manufacturer plans to develop the Lagonda series to intercept those loyal customers of extra-luxury cars such as Rolls Royce and Maybach. The first models are expected between 2022 and 2023.Do you like Aston Martins? An absolutely unmissable book by EVO in English is available on Amazon!
