Remember James May? In his own voice, good news! Back when former Mercedes-AMG chief executive officer Tobias Moers was running Aston Martin, the British automaker's 5.2L twin-turbo V12 was planned for discontinuation. The initial cut-off date was 2026 to 2027, but as per current Aston Martin Lagonda executive director Lawrence Stroll, the big twelve isn't going anywhere soon.
Speaking to British publication Autocar, the Canadian billionaire said that hybrid technology would be added at some point. Stroll didn't say when, nor did he mention if hybrid technology means a 48-volt setup, a proper hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, or something along the lines of KERS.
Stroll also made it clear that rather than electric vehicles, Aston Martin will put a greater emphasis on plug-in hybrids. Lance Stroll's father says that customers want sounds and smells from their cars, and Lawrence Stroll intends to please them as long as emission regulations allow for PHEVs to be sold in the European Union. The company's plug-in hybrids will be predominantly V8 because Aston Martin customers aren't keen on fewer cylinders.
Shots fired at Ferrari? Plausible, but on the other hand, remember that Andy Palmer-era Aston Martin planned to bring two V6-powered supercars to market. More specifically, the Vanquish Vision concept-based Vanquish and the Valhalla. Unfortunately, the Vanquish won't return as a supercar, but – hearsay suggests – in the form of a front-engined gran turismo. Of course, that would be the replacement for the DBS Superleggera.
The Valhalla, on the other hand, switched to flat-plane crankshaft V8 that Mercedes-AMG previously used in the GT Black Series. The lesser sibling of the Cosworth V12-engined Valkyrie is a plug-in hybrid that brings together said engine and two electric drive units (up front and out back).
Photo: Aston Martin
Lawrence Stroll believes that Aston Martin could sell plug-in hybrids beyond 2035, but even so, the Gaydon-based manufacturer has to be prepared for the inevitable transition to electric. Rather than late 2025, the automaker's first series-production electric vehicle has been postponed to late 2026, with first deliveries expected in early 2027.
A bespoke platform will underpin four EVs, including volume-oriented vehicles such as a crossover and a sport utility vehicle. A grand tourer is planned as well, and – somewhat unsurprising – a supercar as well. For the time being, it's not known in what order the vehicles will be launched.
Lance's father would not confirm which Aston Martin after the Valhalla would go plug-in hybrid, although DBX makes the most sense because it sells in higher numbers than the DB series, Vantage, Valhalla, and the insanely loud Valkyrie. Technical partner Mercedes-AMG already have plenty of high-performance vehicles on sale, including one powered by a four-pot turbo instead of a V8.
Save for the ONE, which is a low-volume thriller with a Formula 1 turbo V6 hybrid power unit, AMG's most powerful series-production vehicle is the GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe. Actually a five-door liftback, said model develops a staggering 831 horsepower and 1,082 pound-feet (1,467 Nm). Now imagine that kind of power and torque in the Aston Martin DBX. Not bad, huh?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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