We’ve heard about the Aston Martin & Mercedes rumor a couple of months earlier, but it seems that this, like many other Mercedes rumors, will become reality. CAR magazine is revealing that Aston Martin and Mercedes are planing a wide-ranging tie-up to collaborate on engines, hybrids, transmission and even entire platforms.
Here are the highlights of the so called Alligator project:
- Mercedes engines power future Aston Martins
- AMG’s 6.3 liter V8 would make its way into the Vantage models
- Diesels and Hybrids from Mercedes would be used in Astons
- Whole platforms to be shared by top-end models
- 8 speed automatic tranny for AM sports cars
- Maybach and Aston would be cooperating on future models
More info will be revealed in the CAR magazines September issue. We’ll definitely keep you updated on this story, but for now, this sounds like very interesting and exciting news. Let’s just have patience and wait for more details on the Alligator Project.
(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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August 7th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Ok, and the benefit the Mercedes is….??
I can see where Aston benefits, but what does Aston do better than Mercedes? Astons are what they are because of their looks and their branding as a classy, sophisticated gentleman’s car, not because of engineering or technological success. As far as I know, the only thing that Aston can contribute is styling, but then you’d have a Mercedes that looks like an Aston. Can something show me where Mercedes benefits in this?
August 7th, 2008 at 8:38 am
You are right Reg, It doesn’t seem like Mercedes is getting too much out of this deal, but like I say in the post, we have to wait for the September issue of CAR Mag to learn more about the deal. The only benefit that I see for Merc is probably cost sharing. Especially when it comes to the high-end models. Daimler has to develop so many new parts and technologies for cars such as the Maybach and SLR, so if they can share some of the cost with Aston, then that would be perfectly fine.
Not sure, we’ll just have to wait, but I am sure Daimler won’t go with something if there is nothing in for them, well except the marriage to Chrysler, but that’s a different story
August 10th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Yeah, that Chrysler deal was a nightmare of note. Many people actually thought Chrysler bought Mercedes. Fat chance. Shows you the poor choices that are made under poor leadership. Can’t remember the guy before Dieter Zetsche, but whatever his name is, he really screwed things up trying to improve profits, probably the most damaging time in the the otherwise prestigious Mercedes Benz history. Thank God for Dr Z though!!