I am a HUGE Aston Martin fan. If you've driven one of the storied company's products, you probably are too. What I love about it is that they do everything well.
Of course there have been some reports of quality issues but this is to be expected with a hand-built auto.
What is unknown at this time is how Aston Martin will leverage its new relationship with Mercedes-Benz's AMG division. Of course most suspect that something will be shared in the engine and transmission department as most folks seem to think that is Aston's weak link at the moment. BUT, you shouldn't think that chassis aren't on the table as well.
With the all-new Vanquish all folks were talking about at the test drive was "I can't believe this is still riding on the VH architecture."
Note in an interview with Autocar Aston Martin's head cheese said that he liked where Porsche took its business. Not only did he reference the platform sharing it does with VW to build the Cayenne but he also noted that it's expanded its product lineup.
Care to wager any bets, Spies?
I wonder of the upcoming SLC/GT AMG will spawn the follow up to the V8/V12 Vantage, then there's the whole sport-utility vehicle angle Aston seems eager to exploit.
Aston Martin could share Mercedes-AMG platforms as part of its tie-up, says company boss Ulrich Bez.
The partnership could also lead to the revival of a plan to build Aston's first SUV.
Speaking to Autocar, Bez said there “was lots of potential to be discovered”. The initial technical deal between the two firms outlined in July gained Aston access to bespoke V8 engines and AMG electronic architectures for the next generation of Aston Martins.
“There is a potential to see how far it goes,” said Bez, referring to possible platform sharing. “I look at what Porsche is doing with the 911 as its core business and then it is able to do models like the Cayenne based on the Volkswagen Touareg. It is good business..."
Read Article