Rumors have been circulating for a while that Mercedes-Benz was going to put its high-end engines out of production – not just the V12, but even the V8. If it ever comes true, Aston Martin would have to find a replacement quickly.
The British luxury marque has been using AMG-branded V8 4.0 TT power units since 2013 and currently puts these in its DB11, DBX, and Vantage models. According to CEO Andy Palmer, the company does not consider using four-cylinder engines anytime soon. As such, Aston Martin may be in a position to design its own V6 with V8-like soundtrack and power output, the latter possible with the addition of an electric motor or two.
No details are available to date. Rumor has it that the upcoming Valhalla hypercar series will be the first to take advantage of such hybridized V6 powertrain. The mid-engine, carbon-body coupe should hit the market in a batch of 500 units in two years or so. The next-gen AM Vanquish should emerge at roughly the same date, packing a high-end six-cylinder engine without electric assistance.
That said, it is not like Aston Martin is going to drop its own V12 anytime soon: on the contrary, the company plans to move the production lines from Cologne, Germany to Great Britain and keep producing it there for at least another several years.