Aston Martin models won't use the Mercedes-AMG sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 for much longer, and the company's new hybrid V6 will replace it, according to Autocar. Customers will find the electrified powerplant in vehicles like the DB11, DBX, and Vantage. The company recently showed off the new engine in its application for the upcoming Valhalla supercar.
"Mercedes have made no secret of where their engine technology is moving to, and obviously we don’t foresee four-cylinder engines in our Astons," Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer told Autocar. "So we’ve got to make our own journey."
Gallery: Aston Martin DBX (2020)
Palmer hints that the hybrid V6 makes more power than the AMG-sourced V8 and sounds just as good. The electrified powerplant can also hook up to the transmissions that the company already uses.
In the Valhalla, the hybrid V6, which Aston calls the TM01, reportedly produces roughly 1,000 bhp (746 kilowatts). Although, don't expect the output to be nearly this high in vehicles like the Vantage or DBX. This is the brand's first in-house powerplant design since 1968.
The future for Aston Martin:
The Valhalla debuts in 2022, and it's the big premiere for the hybrid V6. Don't look for the engine to arrive in other Aston Martin vehicles until after the supercar's arrival.
Enjoy Aston Martin's V12 while you can, though. "You can see in the longer term that it won’t last," Palmer told Autocar. A hybrid version of it could let the engine stick around for a little longer. Emissions regulations around the world are making big powerplants like this increasingly difficult to keep in the lineup.
Source: Autocar