Why Does Aston Martin Use Mercedes-amg V8s Instead Of Building Its Own?

Sjo/Getty Images

Aston Martin knows a point aliases 2 astir building engines. The DB5's inline-6 sings a sensual exhaust note, which James Bond's eardrums tin registry only because he uses silenced pistols. Early V8 Vantage cars sound for illustration hardly restrained tigers attempting to purr. The sound from a V12 Vantage could make Johann Sebastian Bach discontinue composing, knowing that nan top sound nan quality receptor will ever acquisition has already been found. 

But listening to nan powerful, sharp, opulently stitched caller Aston Martin Vantage S (or immoderate post-2017 V8 Aston), you mightiness deliberation it sounds familiar, that possibly immoderate German power had snuck successful for illustration a fewer drops of doppelbock successful your pint of bitter. That's because Britain's prestigious GT shaper skipped crossed nan Channel to spot if it could get a cup of AMG from Mercedes. To beryllium clear, nan institution still makes its ain V12s, but Mercedes-AMG generously providing V8s is what makes this possible.

When nan DB11 started offering Mercedes-AMG V8 powerfulness for nan 2018 exemplary year, it wasn't retired of nan blue. The automakers signed a business statement successful 2013 that provided Aston Martin pinch Mercedes-AMG V8s, electrical tech, and infotainment systems. Top Gear reported that Ian Minards, Aston's merchandise improvement director, said, "Working pinch AMG successful this way, while, of course, remaining independent and preserving nan unsocial characteristic and style of Aston Martin that has been nan champion of nan institution passim its 100-year history, points to a very agleam future."

Yes, "independent," a connection that was surely important to Aston Martin aft Ford dropped nan marque successful nan laps of immoderate investors successful 2007 for $925 cardinal aft astir 30 years of control. Now Aston Martin wants — and gets — the benefits of shared tech without losing its freedom.

Speaking of 2007, a twelvemonth that brought nan Great Recession to nan world's economy, Ford was willing successful trimming immoderate fat to, you know, live. In Ford Motor Company's 2007 Annual Report, page 18, nan institution states, "We took actions to trim Automotive semipermanent indebtedness by $2.7 cardinal and monetized our investements successful definite non-core assets (e.g., Aston Martin Lagonda Group Limited)." 

The only point that astir apt stung much than claims that Aston's V12s were conscionable conjoined Ford Duratec V6s was being referred to arsenic a "non-core asset." (Ford followed this up by trading Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008 and Volvo successful 2010. These were nan different 3 European brands successful Ford's "Premiere Automotive Group," in summation to nan Blue Oval's bequest Lincoln and Mercury divisions.)

It's not for illustration everything was rosy for Aston aft nan Ford divorce, either. The institution knowledgeable its shares of ups and downs, pinch astir $120 cardinal successful losses successful 2014 and 300 jobs evaporating successful 2015, only to bounce backmost successful 2018 by appearing connected nan London Stock Exchange pinch an estimated worth of $5.78 billion. Then it famously hemorrhaged $1.8 cardinal each time successful 2024. Even successful 2025, its existent net study shows a 34% gross simplification erstwhile comparing nan 2nd 4th of 2024 to nan aforesaid play successful 2025, which Aston Martin CEO Adrian Hallmark mostly attributed to "The evolving and disruptive U.S. tariff situation."

Still, Aston fiercely values independency and is observant astir its partnerships. In nan Aston Martin Code of Conduct, page 19 describes its standards for choosing partners, establishing that "before entering into immoderate relationships, we transportation retired owed dilligence to guarantee we cognize who we are really moving with."

Sue Thatcher/Getty Images

Perhaps Aston's be aware is nan consequence of dealing pinch Ford. Regardless, nan Mercedes-AMG business seems to beryllium mutually beneficial. Mercedes-Benz accrued its 5% liking to 20% successful 2020, and AMG's Tobias Moers became Aston Martin's CEO nan aforesaid year, though he stepped down successful 2022. Current CEO Adrian Hallmark wants to make Aston profitable by nan extremity of 2026, halving nan clip he took to move astir Bentley arsenic its main executive. The champion part, though, is that Aston plans to proceed making V12s.Thanks, Mercedes, you merit a buss connected nan feature for making this possible.

In 2023, Aston was anticipating a clip erstwhile its V12 would vanish owed to emissions regulations, and Roberto Fedeli, main method officer, told Autocar that "without Mercedes we could beryllium successful trouble. At nan aforesaid time, Mercedes isn't conscionable an motor for us, it's [also] nan guidelines electrical architecture." Aston's AMG-powered models see the DB12, Vantage, Valhalla, and DBX SUV. For those who wish Aston Martin designed 100% of its powerfulness trains, it seems nan determination if you want a V8 is betwixt Mercedes powerfulness aliases nary Aston Martin.

Besides, this isn't nan first clip non-Mercedes vehicles person sported awesome AMG engines. The long-snooted Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 sewage roided up erstwhile DaimlerChrysler made a uncommon bully determination by stuffing it afloat of 330 hp AMG supercharged V6. And Pagani's Zonda, Huayra, Imola, and surprisingly adept flooded-Dubai-street forder Utopia each boast Mercedes V12s. Mercedes-AMG besides provides 2.0-liter turbo inline-4s for nan Lotus Emira, a combo only disposable pinch an automatic transmission because nan world is sometimes dramatically unfair.