Aston Martin is now developing its own straight-six powertrain which is most likely to feature hybrid technology to meet tighter emission legislation in future. The new powertrain will of course replace the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-AMG, this means that Aston and Mercedes-AMG’s technical partnership may be coming to an end.
In 2013, Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG got into a technical partnership that would enable the British marque access to Mercedes-AMG’s 4.0-litre biturbo V8 – the engine which is now found in the Vantage and DB11 sports cars. The partnership however, was never meant to be a lifetime bond, Aston would use the M178 engine while its engineers work on a straight-six motor stemming from the brand’s current 5.2-litre V12.
We may have to wait a while before we see one of these new engines in an Aston Martin. The British-based automaker will continue to use the AMG-sourced V8 for a few more years,including in its eagerly anticipated first-ever crossover set to launch next year. Called the DBX, the crossover will kick off with a turbocharged V8 and V12, but a long debated hybrid variant is most likely to join the range early in the next decade.
While details of the in-house derived straight-six engine are still securely under covers, the most sensible assumption would be that it will feature a hybrid setup with expertise gained from Aston Martin’s Rapide E programme. The powertrain may not be a full plug-in hybrid, but Aston Martin is aiming at a setup that meets expectations of an Aston – combining Aston Martin-like performance but a level of efficiency new to the brand.