Photo: Aston Martin
From the very beginning to this very day, Aston Martin didn’t care one bit for hybridization and electrification. But the times, as well as corporate average fuel economy standards, are changing, and the British automaker knows it too.
Enter Andy Palmer, the chief executive officer of the Gaydon-based company, who spilled the beans to The Financial Times about the near future of Aston Martin. In the first instance, the Valkyrie will spearhead the way to hybridization thanks to Formula 1-inspired solutions. Then there’s the RapidE, which is going into limited production in 2019 with all-electric underpinnings.
These we already knew, but the interview with FT reveals something that wasn’t previously known. According to Palmer, the hybrid and electric technology will be developed in-house, with Aston Martin targeting the mid-2020s to hybridize 100 percent of its lineup. That includes the mid-engine supercar that will follow the Valkyrie hypercar, which will get a force-fed V6.
“Are you kidding me?” That’s an interesting choice considering the yet-unnamed model has been described as a competitor to the Ferrari 488 GTB, which relies on a twin-turbo V8. If, however, the Aston Martin supercar adds some sort of hybrid system to the six-cylinder internal combustion engine, then it’s as clear as day that the model will pride itself on world-class performance.
Alongside the twin-turbo V6 powerplant, the Aston Martin supercar is believed to offer something no other supercar can brag with in this day and age. The bragging right comes in the form of a manual transmission, which is a breath of fresh air considering literally everyone is focused on improving zero to 60 times with high-performance transmissions of the dual-clutch variety.
In the nearest of futures, the first all-new Aston Martin to go into production is the Vantage. Already teased by its creator, the camouflage will be taken off late in the year, and production is scheduled to kick off in early 2018 for the 2019 model year. Following the Vantage, you can look forward to the DB11 Volante and Vanquish.
These we already knew, but the interview with FT reveals something that wasn’t previously known. According to Palmer, the hybrid and electric technology will be developed in-house, with Aston Martin targeting the mid-2020s to hybridize 100 percent of its lineup. That includes the mid-engine supercar that will follow the Valkyrie hypercar, which will get a force-fed V6.
“Are you kidding me?” That’s an interesting choice considering the yet-unnamed model has been described as a competitor to the Ferrari 488 GTB, which relies on a twin-turbo V8. If, however, the Aston Martin supercar adds some sort of hybrid system to the six-cylinder internal combustion engine, then it’s as clear as day that the model will pride itself on world-class performance.
Alongside the twin-turbo V6 powerplant, the Aston Martin supercar is believed to offer something no other supercar can brag with in this day and age. The bragging right comes in the form of a manual transmission, which is a breath of fresh air considering literally everyone is focused on improving zero to 60 times with high-performance transmissions of the dual-clutch variety.
In the nearest of futures, the first all-new Aston Martin to go into production is the Vantage. Already teased by its creator, the camouflage will be taken off late in the year, and production is scheduled to kick off in early 2018 for the 2019 model year. Following the Vantage, you can look forward to the DB11 Volante and Vanquish.
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