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Aston and AMG 'pre-nup' a work in progress
The rules under which AMG and Aston Martin will move forward are still fluid: AMG boss...Mercedes-Benz AMG's role as a partner and engine and electronic infrastructure supplier to Aston Martin is a work in progress. But AMG Chairman and CEO, Tobias Moers, has hinted at some of the rules of engagement, including the likelihood of AMG and the British brand cooperating on new vehicle projects.
"[Cooperating on a new vehicle is] Too far, I think," Moers told motoring.com.au at this week's Best of AMG event at Willow Springs in California.
"First of all, we have to finish everything with the [agreement with] Aston Martin – about the contract and everything about the engine and the electronics supply agreement," he hedged.
Moers indicated the engines that AMG will supply to Aston Martin will (mainly) be part of its new range of turbocharged, smaller displacement V8 engines. In contrast to previous suggestions from Mercedes-Benz itself, however, Moers stated AMG's bi-turbo V12 would continue to play a role in both AMG and Aston models and would be modified to comply with new emission regulations.
In answering a question on timing of the Aston engine changeover, he stated, however, that the powerplants would first appear in AMG models.
"Not before we have it [the new engine]," he stated to the question of when.
According to Moers, the AMG Aston tie-up could see the British brand with versions of engines producing higher outputs than their first 'homes'. This is also in contrast to reports elsewhere.
Any potential output 'margin' would depend on segment, Moers stated.
"I don't know [whether Aston would always have lower outputs]," Moers stated.
"I think it depends on their car. Maybe there's no need for [a horsepower gap] if their car [is in a non-competing segment]...
"If there is something very exclusive on the market from Aston Martin priced at Euro 200,000 or more, maybe then why not more horsepower than us... Why not?"
"If they do [want to build a Zonda]… then it's a different story. But as it is Aston Martin [cars], driving performance-wise, driving dynamics wise – it's not on the level of an SLS. And I think they want not to be there, because they are more a luxury brand. A good brand, a strong brand, no doubt, but they're not really focusing on that driving performance and driving dynamics. It's [Aston's line-up] more in competitive set to an SL," he stated.
Moers says there are no 'rules' preventing AMG from building a higher volume sports car, Aston agreement or not.
"There are no rules – everything is free for us. If we have a business case, we have to discuss it with the Board of Mercedes.
"We started the SLS, not with the strategic thinking – we started it as a one-timer. And nobody thought about what happens when we move out of the SLS business... It's clear for everybody [now] that there will be a certain [new] sports car under control of Mercedes-AMG...
"That's something which is a story going on. And I'm happy with that, for now," Moers said.
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Written byMike Sinclair
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