THE aston martin underwent major changes last year, with Tobias Moers — who led Mercedes-AMG — replacing Andy Palmer as general manager of the British brand, which has an ambitious plan for the future.
In an interview with British magazine Autocar, Tobias Moers detailed the plans for this strategy — called Project Horizon — which includes “more than 10 new cars” until the end of 2023, the introduction of Lagonda luxury versions on the market and several electrified versions, where the includes a 100% electric sports car.
It is recalled that recently the general director of Aston Martin had already confirmed that from 2030 onwards, all models of the Gaydon brand will be electrified - hybrid and electric -, except for the competition ones.
Vanquish and Valhalla are the two great projects of this new era of Aston Martin. They were first anticipated in 2019 in the form of mid-range rear engine prototypes and were intended to power the new V6 hybrid engine fully developed by the British brand (the first since 1968).
However, after the approximation between Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG, the development of this engine was put aside and these two models must now equip hybrid units of the Affalterbach brand.
“Both will look different, but they'll be even better,” said Moers. Regarding the V6 engine, the “boss” of Aston Martin was peremptory: “I found an engine concept that was not capable of meeting the Euro 7 standards. Another huge investment that was too big to carry out would have been necessary”.
Tobias Moers, General Director of Aston MartinWe shouldn't spend money on it. On the other hand, we must invest money in electrification, batteries and expanding our portfolio. The objective is to be a self-sustainable company, although always with a partnership.
According to the German executive, this goal can be reached as early as 2024 or 2025, and the brand's next expansion will start in the second half of this year, when the hypersports Valkyrie will be launched.
Two New DBX Versions
In the third quarter of 2021 also arrives a new version of the Aston Martin DBX, with rumors that it will be a new hybrid variant with a V6 engine, marking the entry of the SUV range of the UK manufacturer.
But this is not the only novelty planned for the DBX, which in April of next year will receive a new version with a V8 engine, with the sights aimed at the Lamborghini Urus.
During this interview, Moers even anticipated a “wider range for Vantage and DB11”, whose expansion has already started with the new Vantage F1 Edition, the road version of the new Formula 1 Safety Car.
This variant will be joined by an even more radical and powerful one, which will result in the first Aston Martin model whose development was closely followed by Moers.
DB11, Vantage and DBS: facelift on the way
“We have a very aged sports car range,” explained Moers, anticipating a facelift for the DB11, Vantage and DBS: “The new Vantage, DB11 and DBS will be from the same generation, but they will have a new infotainment system and many others new things".
Moers did not confirm the specific date for the release of each of these updates, but, according to the British publication, they will happen in the next 18 months.
Lagonda synonymous with luxury
Aston Martin's previous plans foresaw the launch of Lagonda on the market — as its own brand — with luxury models, exclusively electric, to rival the Rolls-Royce, but Moers believes this idea is “wrong, because it dilutes the main brand ”.
The “boss” of Aston Martin has no doubts that Lagonda will have to be “a more luxurious brand”, but reveals that plans for it have not yet been defined. However, he confirmed that Aston Martin will produce Lagonda variants of its existing, more luxury-focused models, just as Mercedes-Benz does with Maybach.
100% electric sports in 2025
Aston Martin will launch electrified versions in the next few years — hybrid and 100% electric — in all its segments, something that Moers believes represents “even more opportunities for the brand”.
A 100% electric sports car is one of those “opportunities” that Moers talks about and will be launched in 2025, at the same time that an all-electric version of the DBX should also appear. However, Moers did not reveal any details about each of these models.
But while electrification doesn't hit Gaydon's brand, you can always enjoy the “singing” of the DBS Superleggera's V12 engine with 725 hp that Guilherme Costa tested in a video for Razão Automóvel's YouTube channel: