I think it's this: "Mercedes-AMG will provide the British icon Aston Martin with engines for their forthcoming sports cars."

 

I've tried to be clear about my concerns, but I'll try again. If AMG and Aston develop bespoke engines for Aston Martin, with "bespoke" meaning the same thing as it does with the current V8 -- starting with the Jaguar engine but using unique-to-Aston bespoke block, crank, rods, pistons, heads, cams, valves, etc. -- then it should be fantastic.

The freaking out is about the potential of AMG engines being essentially dropped into Astons rather than the scenario above. "Retuning" and "versions" of AMG engines aren't "bespoke." I'd have zero interest in an Aston with an engine as similar to that in an AMG car as the Bentley Conti's V8 is to the Audi S8's V8, for example -- they're the SAME engine "tuned" to give "unique characteristics." That's BS as far as I'm concerned, and Aston deserves better than that.

 

I don't want either one. We don't currently have a Ford Mustang Aston, and I don't want a Mercedes Aston.

 

Yeah missed that bit. I guess I focused on the MB "will provide" engines part. A joint effort is better than AM just opening up a crate from MB.

One thing I wonder about is the V12s. Aston said they'd stick with V12s for the next 10 years. Is the technology from these new V8s going to cross over to the V12s? Those engines could use some modern tech too.

 

If AMG "helps" like Ford helped, then this should be great. If they do what VW did to Bentley with VW/Audi-powered (and platformed) Continentals, then that will be the end of Aston Martin, IMO. I hope it's the former.

 

^^^^ isn't Bentley more successful than ever now?

 

They sell a lot of cars and they're profitable, but they don't build anything I'd want to spend my money on. That's not quite true -- the Mulsanne is a beautiful thing, but I have no interest in the Conti because it shares its engine/driveline/platform with VW/Audi. It's one thing when this is done with run-of-the-mill cars like VWs and Skodas. It's another entirely when the sharing is done with high-end cars. If I'm paying a lot of money for an Aston Martin, I want it to be an Aston Martin underneath, not a modified version of something else. Would a Ferrari be a Ferrari if it used an AMG engine? If it were based on a Fiat platform? Or a Mercedes platform?

 

Ferrari is kind of a bad example since all Ferrari cares about is the engine. That's kind of their trademark.

On the other hand, let's take Lamborghini. The R8 V10 is the exact same V10 as the Gallardo. The interior electronics of the Gallardo looks just like any Audi of the same period. Is it still a Lamborghini? I'd say yes it is.

 

Ferrari may be the very best example, because the engine is the heart of any car, and certainly of a performance/enthusiast car, IMO.

The Gallardo arrived 10 years ago with its V10, and there was no R8. That engine was Lamborghini-only. When Audi dropped the Lambo V10 in the R8, I thought it did detract from the Gallardo -- it instantly rendered it somewhat less special. The Audi switchgear in the Gallardo does detract from it IMO, but it's still a Lamborghini.

If Lamborghini offered the Gallardo with the R8's V8, I'd have no interest in it whatsoever. It would be an Audi-powered Lamborghini Sadly, the Gallardo's replacement is being jointly developed with the next R8, and (no surprise) that pretty much kills it for me. I don't want a Lamborghini that's half-Audi.

 

I'm ok with it. AMG makes good motors and if it means that it helps AM remain a mfg, then let's get on with it.

 

Interesting. I feel like the fact that the R8 has a detuned version of the Lambo engine detracts from the R8. Maybe both cars are less special because they share an engine.

 

I think the R8 and Gallardo have different enough markets that they can get away with having so much in common. The R8 is for someone that wants a performance car with the practicality of an Audi, which the Gallardo is for someone that wants something flashy.

As for AMG building AM's engines, I'm fine with it so far. If they're truly bespoke, then great. That means AMG will help AM design and build some awesome, updated, modern engines that can survive in the current political landscape of CAFE regulations and pollution and blah blah blah. It isn't ideal. Ideal would be AM whipping a magical 40-mpg, 500-hp, 8000-rpm, zero-emissions V8 out of its ***. But that isn't going to happen. But at least AM can survive without becoming another Bentley.

 

So they lost you as a potential customer, but they made a good business decision and sell more cars and are more profitable. All of which goes to show that most people don't care about a shared platform with VW/Audi. I don't think anyone who sees one, rides in one, or buys one is thinking that it's just a VW

Also, what is you opinion on the Toyota-powered Lotus models which have greatly improved the brand's reliability?

 

Toyota power..........?

 

Lotuses (Loti?) have been powered for at least 10 years now by 4 or 6 cylinder Toyota engines +/- superchargers, ever since Rover went bust. So many advantages: well built, reliable, service anywhere engines!

But they are still Loti. That hideous Cygnet OTOH...