Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG Won’t Flaunt Technical Partnership

See All 4 Photos4

Although Mercedes-Benz will supply future Aston Martin products with eight-cylinder AMG engines and electrical architecture, the technical partnership will be discrete,Autocarreports. Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche said that future Aston Martin models with AMG engines won't sport any AMG or Mercedes badging under the hood or on the exterior.

"A subtle involvement with Aston Martin is better for us," Zetsche toldAutocar. "Our customers will know about it without us making too much of the link. That is enough for us."

While the two companies have only agreed on engine sharing and electrical components, Mercedes won't have any influence over the British automaker's future products.

"It is up to Aston Martin to make specific product plans. We have only just agreed a deal in which we announced we would share engines and electrical components," said Zetsche.

So far the technical partnership only includes engine an electrical sharing. That that could change, however, if Aston Martin sees using a newer Mercedes' alloy chassis architecture as a cost effective way to replace its VH (vertical, horizontal) bonded and riveted alloy chassis that first appeared under the DB9 coupe a decade ago.

Additionally, Aston Martin could also use the next Mercedes GL chassis to underpin a seven-passenger SUV like a production version of the Lagonda concept from the 2000 Geneva auto show.

"It's for them to decide. But we would listen carefully to them," said Zetsche.

Source: Autocar

See All 4 Photos4