2016 Geneva Motor Show: Aston Martin to put own stamp on Mercedes-AMG V8 engine

Aston Martin will put its own spin on an engine from the masters of the V8.

IT’S all about the sound and performance feel with the upcoming Mercedes-AMG-sourced engine to be used in future Aston Martins, including the just-revealed Aston Martin DB11.

The 4.0-litre twin turbocharged V8 revealed under the DB11’s skin at the Geneva Motor Show, which also used in the Mercedes-AMG C63 and Mercedes-AMG GT, will gain extensive changes to the intake and exhaust systems as well as calibration tweaks to tailor it to the Aston Martin family.

“The magic Aston dust is primarily in the calibration of the engine,” said Aston Martin director of product development Ian Minards.

“If you were going to take the V8 from anybody on the planet it’d be AMG because they are the masters of the V8.

“We’re going to install that engine in our cars and it’s going to sound like as Aston V8. We’ll work on the exhaust system and bypass valves, the tuning of that exhaust system and the intake system to make that car right. The calibration and the way that engine is matched to our transmission strategy.”

The new V8 is expected to be offered as a lesser powered alternative to the new 5.2-litre twin turbocharged V12 in the just-released DB11.

In the Mercedes-AMG models the 4.0-litre V8 is available in different tunes and power outlets, making up to 375kW and 700Nm.

Assuming Aston Martin’s outputs are the same – or, at least, similar – to AMG’s it’s less than the 448kW from the new 5.2-litre V12 twin turbo initially shown in the DB11, although the 700Nm torque peak is identical.

Minards was guarded on where the new Mercedes-AMG-sourced V8 would be used, although it’s widely expected to be used in the DB11, providing a more affordable antidote to the V12.

He also said Aston Martin was committed to V8s and V12s, and that the V12 was the classic Aston Martin.

“For us, V12 and V8 works really well; there’s a lot of technology [to be used] yet to get the best out of those powertrains.

“We want to concentrate our efforts on the V12 … the V12 is synonymous with Aston Martin.”

He said there were no plans to halve the V12 to create a six-cylinder, suggesting it would be a major engineering effort.