Aston Martin Secures Funding for New Chassis Development

Aston Martin has secured new financial backing in the form of a bond issue that brings a total of £304 million ($487 million) from investors. The company says that the “issue of the Notes will provide long-term financial stability for the next seven years and support Aston Martin's continued development.” Doesn’t that sound boring for an article about Aston Martins?

We think so, but it gets a little better soon, as the news is linked closely with the British firm’s next cars. Aston’s VH platform has underpinned just about every car they make, with the exception of the One-77, ever since 2003. Despite yielding some of the best cars out there, it’s getting a bit old and need to be put to pasture soon.

That’s where the funding comes in, as according to Autocar, it will be used to develop a new generation of sportscars starting next year. Unfortunately, we’ll only get our hands on the new products in 2015 or 2016, but Aston is sure to tickle the VH in order to produce something to keep us interested until then.

Thus, before the platform swap takes place, the British firm will have to re-engineer the alloy-based VH in order to cope with new Federal FMVSS pedestrian impact rules, due to come into effect in autumn 2012. What’s more, from a cosmetic point of view, facelifted versions of the DB9, Vantage and Rapide are bound to arrive in the next couple of years, sporting revised suspension, interiors and fresh looks.

The only big question remaining is whether it will develop the architecture all on it’s own, or borrow from Mercedes-Benz under the new arrangement with Daimler regarding Maybach and the Lagonda range.