RUMOUR: Aston Martin and Mercedes Planning Cooperation?

by Brian Potter
August 7, 2008 5:00 PM
Filed Under: Aston Martin, European, Mercedes-Benz, Rumours

Aston Martin and Mercedes are planning to collaborate on engines, hybrid technology, transmission and even entire platforms, according to CAR magazine. Speaking with engineers and insiders, the secret partnership code named, Project Alligator, puts Mercedes powertrains such as diesel and hybrid technology plus Mercedes' 8-speed automatic transmission flowing towards Aston models.

More specifically, AMG's 6.2-litre V8 could find it's way into Vantage models while access to diesel and hybrid technology from Mercedes could diversify the Aston range and give broader appeal to a wider market. Additionally, platform sharing between Maybach and Aston for future top of the range models could give the leverage needed to make the ultra premium market segment finally worthwhile.

Seeking to reduce development costs, such a pairing between premium marques of similar stature is such a good idea, it almost hurts. A dream team collaboration like this could add new depth to the marques with even greater credibility and enthusiasm.

Source: CarMagazine.co.uk
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Comments

Normal decision. Both should be satified

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by alessandro | August 7, 2008 5:08 PM
So long as Aston doesn't let Mercedes bend them over this should be a dream team!

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by benz_man | August 7, 2008 5:15 PM
One of the greatest collaborations ever....now beautiful Astons will get the right tourqey engine built in AMG factory!!!

Yeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh

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by swifthead | August 7, 2008 5:16 PM
with reference to the photo... general question; which looks better, the mcmerc or the aston?

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by Lucifa | August 8, 2008 11:09 AM
watch the germans ruin aston. aston dont do it! i mean chrysler really improved....not! under merc ownership.

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by asif | August 7, 2008 6:02 PM
Why does Aston needs AMG-engines, i got no problems with the hybrid & the diesel technology, but Aston got very good engines like the DBS, or the old Vantage engines, even the new V8 is pretty impressive, so why do they need to put AMG-engines in their cars? R.I.P. Aston

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by mc959 | August 7, 2008 6:12 PM
They should have called the title to this article "Astons needs Mercedes Technologies to stay competitive." Aston Martins have always been British grabage with an over the top price tag to go with it. Nothing BUT PROBLEMS. //asif Cryslers are kias of North America. SOON THE GERMANS WILL OWN ASTON TOO JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM. HAHAHAHAHAH SELL THEIR SOULS.

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by carfan58 | August 7, 2008 6:14 PM
Aston has what MB needs, pure style and sex appeal. As for Aston, to finally loose that leaky british car stigma would be a good thing. All in all, if this doesn't end up like the Chrysler relationship... this could be a very powerful move for both companies. Who knows, MB might one day be able to design a nice looking car.

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by joe_limon | August 7, 2008 6:15 PM
I Agree with joe, with aston styling and mercedes power, they could give birth to some real ferrari killers.

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by carfan58 | August 7, 2008 6:26 PM
hmm, but between the two, neither knows how to make a light weight sports car. I think Ferrari is safe, but as for Porsche, Bentley, and all those other more luxurious manufacturers I think they have to worry.

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by Joe_Limon | August 7, 2008 6:31 PM
I dunno Joe. If Ferrari keeps designing ugly POS cars, they have every bit to worry, just like Porsche (though I think the Caymen has been one of their better moves to preserve the original Porsche heritage), Bentley, RollsRoyce, Audi, BMW, Lamborghini, etc.

However, I am not going to pay $60.000+ for a C 230 just because Aston Martin name is on there a swell.

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by nurchus | August 7, 2008 6:45 PM
Ferrari builds ugly POS cars?

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by benz_man | August 7, 2008 11:07 PM
hmm watch what you say, I am not the biggest fan of Ferrari, I think they are over rated and far to popular for what they have to offer. But to call them ugly POS cars is going to far. If you want to see a car company with ugly POS cars look at MB, Toyota, or Chrysler. The Ferrari California may not live up to the amazing cars produced before, but that is expectable after all it is Ferrari's new "entry level" car. If they made it to jaw droppingly georgous the sales of there higher end models would plummet.

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by Joe_Limon | August 7, 2008 11:11 PM
hmm lemme change that last remark a bit, MB, Toyota are just ugly. Chrysler is Ugly and POS lol.

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by Joe_Limon | August 7, 2008 11:12 PM
The Aston Martin-Mercedes Benz or what satanists would call it: The Anti-Christ!

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by Penner | August 7, 2008 6:28 PM
heh heh.. wicked!! :D

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by wolff | August 7, 2008 8:34 PM
The Zonda has a Merc Engine and look what that thing could do, Aston does need this to stay competitive.

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by carfan58 | August 7, 2008 7:17 PM
Since some Kuwaiti billionares bought Aston the design and beauty of it well emerge and mark my words, the interior is going to be "fo shizzile". So I guess they're using MB R&D to start them off in a good direction. Just please don't stick with them, or else Bye-Bye like chrysler. R.I.P. Dodge Viper

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by International | August 7, 2008 7:18 PM
i can't decide whether i like this news or not. i'm a big fan of astons and i love them the way they are now. and i've never been a fan of mercedes... if there's any possibility for aston to improve then it's fine with me - but does aston really need this improvement? they already have great engines; i don't think that they need the 'diesel and hybrid technology' - why buy a diesel or hybrid aston?! my god it would be a crime. i suspect that amg's work on the engines may be a good thing for aston but i'm pretty worried about what this whole collaboration eventually brings.

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by paula1105 | August 7, 2008 8:19 PM
good collaboration as long as the mix stays 75% Aston and 25% MB.

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by aston | August 7, 2008 8:20 PM
aston martin-maclaren sounds better than aston martin-amg.....at least both are british..... but a diesel aston....never..

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by addi_miha | August 7, 2008 9:03 PM
As long as any collaboration is not visible on the sheer beauty of AM cars then I think this pathway should be a feasible one...

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by Vanguard | August 7, 2008 10:03 PM
Why does Aston need Mercedes..after the failure of the SLR and that ugly monstrority called the new SL? And who the hell wants an automatic Aston anyway.

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by RS5 | August 7, 2008 11:08 PM
I am guessing Aston wishes to focus on what they do best, (make really nice looking vehicles) and leave the technical stuff to the Germans. I really doubt they want a SL in their lineup haha. Also, Aston is a luxury brand first, sports car second. An Automatic would fit in just as well as a stick shift.

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by Joe_Limon | August 7, 2008 11:16 PM
Many reviews I have read stated that Aston's stick shift was much better than it's paddle shifts, and for the hardcore auto enthusiast, most of the time, when stick is an option, I'm assuming that it is more preferable to an auto or paddles. Mercedes would be much higher up in my books if it offered stick in some of its performance cars (and if it didn't start producing such butt ugly cars like the GLK, SL, and S). In the meantime, Audi is still my first choice. In my opinion, Aston does not need Mercedes' drivetrain nor aesthetic advice.

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by RS5 | August 8, 2008 3:02 AM
the hard core auto enthusiasts like the stick shifting method simply because it is what they are used to. Any professional formula style race car will have paddle shifting on the sole reason that it is the fastest, most precise way to control a cars transmission. That being said, I didn't say that the Aston cars would be better with a automatic transmission, I merely stated that a luxury car such as the Aston is sold mainly to people who want luxury, having not to worry about selecting gears to many of it's buyers is more of a luxury then any hard core stick shifting system.

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by joe_limon | August 8, 2008 7:45 AM
joe lemon. the astin martins are in dire need of mercedes money and research. they are bleeding money just like bentley, rolls royce and mini did before they sold themselves to the germans. the germans ofcourse still own those three former british companies. we do what we please to them. soon we will have are way with aston martin too. we just cant call it a take over yet.

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by carfan58 | August 7, 2008 11:38 PM
why might I ask are you talking as if you own MB, BMW, Porsche, and VW?

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by joe_limon | August 8, 2008 1:28 AM
aston martin must sell themselves as rolls royce, mini and bentley have done. they loses money like tthe other former british companies have done. they then become german. the people who work in the british manufacturing companies get a wage, and the german bosses get the profits of the company and cruise off in his S classes and M6's.

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by carfan58 | August 7, 2008 11:40 PM
what cars do own joe? You talk big but reading your post I also think your poor.

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by lemonsqueezer2000 | August 8, 2008 5:41 AM
I am in University, I work 4 months of the year. So I drive a reliable 2002 2 door Grand Prix GT. For the situation I am currently in I feel it is the perfect car. It's big and rides super smooth, it's cheap so I don't have to pull out student loans on my car. And for a car of it's size it has a pretty decent fuel economy. Now let me ask, who are you and what do you drive? Lemme guess before you do... you have a day job at a desk in front of a computer, you say you love cars, so you decided to buy oh wait no, loan money so you could buy your self a... 3 series sedan, or some other 4 door german tank. Feel free to prove me wrong if you feel better about it that way, either way I don't care who you are or what you drive. All I care about is you're opinion.

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by joe_limon | August 8, 2008 7:54 AM
Pininfarina boss was driving a Vespa you know, stripping so in a way a lethal difference between authoritarian irrationality of modern enterpreneurship of buying (Ford, VW, Toyota, and MB included) and creative life (AM, Ferrari, Pininfarina and finally Piaggio).

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by alessandro | August 11, 2008 11:51 AM
Oh boy it's silversedanman all over again. Keep the national superiority out of your comments if you mind.

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by RS5 | August 8, 2008 2:58 AM
Seriously, that carfan58 fellow worry me a bit..... You think he's a part of the "SS"?

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by tootall | August 8, 2008 3:14 AM
And would you also mind changing your username to germancocksucker58? much more fitting..

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by RS5 | August 8, 2008 3:04 AM
uncalled for and very classless.

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by lemonsqueezer2000 | August 8, 2008 4:53 AM
I don't think that AM is in dire need of a Merc engine planted in it's engine bay. The make pretty good engines (Aston Martin). It almost seems like the new owner of Aston has no idea what to do with it's new found possession.

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by tootall | August 8, 2008 3:20 AM
If AM reallly gets Merc's power, it will be a perfect car.

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by Cozy7 | August 8, 2008 4:06 AM
Carfan58's right, If it werent for the germans these british cars would be absolute garbage like they use to be. as for Aston, it has paris hilton syndrome..looks good on the outside, but dead stupid on the inside.

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by lemonsqueezer2000 | August 8, 2008 4:27 AM
ya british leyland was farse, everyone knows that. And everyone knows astons arent the best engineering, if you want engineering you go to Porsche or BMW like a 911 or a M6 like carfan said. LOL i like the paris hilton thing but I think shes richer!

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by plasma_cluster | August 8, 2008 4:40 AM
Hey Joe, I guess I made too much a blanket statement about Ferrari designing POS cars. Since Pininfarina stopped designing for Ferrari, and post the Ferrari 360, they have been making POS cars. I think that is a better statement. I do not like the way they are going now, and that California car is completely horrid in my opinion.

But in terms of this cooperation between Aston and MB, I can only hope the C class cars don't go past $80.000 USD just because of Aston's name on the cars as well. Don't get me wrong, I love Aston Martin just as much as the next person. But at the same time, I like the fact that MBs are affordable luxury.

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by nurchus | August 8, 2008 5:42 AM
So...the Spitfire will get Messerschmidt(sp?) engines!

I don't think it is a merger or that MB will be effected by this in anyway.

Aston Martin was probably sick of comments like..."that key is straight from a Ford &*#$ but with an Aston logo on it" etc...

It sounds like it's just a working relationship/coop that they are talking about...probably similar in the lines of what MB does for Zonda, only a bit more involved than supplying just engines.

MB is not stupid to think that they can start charging $80k for a C Class because they work with Aston Martin.

For what it's worth MB knows their place in the automotive world...that they the Rolexes of the auto industry.

Recognized as a mass produced luxury brand and is coy enough to know that it is a desirable brand that can get away with charging a bit more than their competitors...but not quite the Patek Phillipe of the automotive world. That's what manufacturers like Rolls, Ferrari and to some degree Aston Martin is...except Aston is stuck with using bits from the Ford parts bin...which will be now parts from the MB parts bin.

Perhaps Aston will diversify with this opporunity and make their own small sports sedan with bits of C or E Class platform and etc and charge $80k+ for it.

I'm sure there will be more than few people in this world that would be willing to shell out $80k for it...it is after all an Aston Martin sports sedan so why not?!

So...let's not fear.

The world order will be maintained...

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by schizo0223 | August 8, 2008 8:03 AM
Hey everyone! I heard Joe Limon is 18 and works at blockbuster!!!!!!!! can you even drive stick joey??

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by plasma_cluster | August 8, 2008 5:51 AM
haha, yes I have owned and driven a stick, I have driven a few in fact, heck I have even driven a stick shift FSAE car (though I will admit the pneumatic paddle shifting system was a much more enjoyable ride). I am a 3rd year mechanical engineering student at the University of Alberta, I also happen to know more about how cars work then I am guessing any of you, as I am the current R&D developer for my universities FSAE team. Now if you would all stop digging into my personal life.

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by joe_limon | August 8, 2008 7:39 AM
joe have you ever driven german?

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by lemonsqueezer2000 | August 8, 2008 8:04 AM
I went autocrossing once in a older m3.

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by joe_limon | August 8, 2008 8:25 AM
haha, oh and test drove a couple vw's, which were hard uncomfy gutless cars with short gears.

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by joe_limon | August 8, 2008 8:27 AM
there are the have's and there are the have not's. joes a havenot. The thing about havenot's is they think they are the have's. Keep dreaming.

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by carfan58 | August 8, 2008 9:03 AM
hahaha, awe your jealous. Also, do you have two accounts? lemonsqueezer2000 and carfan58, or do you just sleep together?

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by Joe_Limon | August 8, 2008 6:24 PM
Seriously Carfan..get a life. Nobody's quite as stupid as you are but nice try.

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by RS5 | August 9, 2008 1:17 AM
The main reason why they are collaborating together is to strengthen each other's weaknesses. It goes to show Merc needs a lil help and BMW owns Merc.

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by quilla_b | August 8, 2008 8:39 AM
Ay people why are yawl taking shots at joe_limon? I respect your attitude fella; common-sense is a commodity and you seem stockpiled with the stuff.

Anyway I'm particularly excited about the AM-MB collab. Chrysler, in my opinion, had nothing to go on in the beginning anyway so you can't compare them to AM. For instance, the Crossfire (which looks like a constipated bullfrog) stuffed up a good SLK32 drivetrain.

Looking at the AM-MB collab reasonably, I don't see how it could go wrong.

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by Decypha | August 8, 2008 9:27 AM
Oh and quilla, that's an ignorant statement. As a BMW fan I don't see how BMW owns Merc just because Merc might collab with AM.

As a BMW fan I would be worried; Mercs already, arguably, look better than BMWs. They seem to have sorted their dynamic abilities out as well... I mean, in a car review, the new C63 was dubbed "the best BMW Merc has ever made". if that's not a reason to worry I don't know what is.

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by Decypha | August 8, 2008 9:30 AM
It is worthwhile noting that MB is currently owning 40% of Mclaren Group and it is rumored that MB is considering acquiring the whole Company, so imagine three strong-hold brands together (AM+MB+Mclaren) !!!! it sound really interesting!!!

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by Vanguard | August 8, 2008 9:34 AM
still reckon mclaren are better off left alone... they made the SLR pretty damn good - its almost 100% mclaren parts, but to a merc design philosiphy... if merc just left mclaren alone we might see a new age mclaren F1. even the like 15 year old F1 is better than anything a mix of aston, mclaren and merc could create. still, not likely to happen, what with the fact that the old F1 was essentially non-profit.

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by Lucifa | August 8, 2008 11:12 AM
Merc + aston deal is way better than the jaguar + tata deal, i think?

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by ipsesnipse | August 8, 2008 9:52 AM
Well A lot of people said that if you Drive Mercedes-Benz you will fall in love with it, So far i haven't tried any. if i Drive both of them i will say if it is a great deal or not

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by nendor | August 8, 2008 3:43 PM
Great!!! now both Manufacturers will Have new better models :) maybe aston will help mercedes produce the SLC...

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by dror117 | August 8, 2008 3:48 PM
no, no, no. and.... no. i mean, for real..NO! i don't want a diesel aston, i don't want a hybrid aston, i don't want a V*, 6.2 L which sounds like and engine made by the americans. V12, 6.0L is ok, even though it doesen't produce not even near 600bhp as its italian, germans ..etc counterparts. and most of all i don't want a stupid mercedes transmission. what the heck is happening? didn't aston suffered enough? first ford sold them..then tata comes along and buys everything including rover and the jag..then a rich guy from kuweit gets aston...now this? "zee germans" again?? this is 1940 all over, again. god damn it. wish aston would have enough money to buy themselves from...anyone, and be independent. how sad this sounds "to buy themselves...". oh, did i mention at the beggining...NNNNOOOO !!!!!!!

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by norther | August 9, 2008 5:10 AM
PORSCHE, BMW, MRECEDES ARE LOADED TO THE TEEEEEEEEEEITS.HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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by carfan58 | August 9, 2008 5:36 AM
Life still coming worse in that planet until independent creative life turned stealthily to impossible task. Transportation design and manufacturing included.

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by alessandro | August 11, 2008 12:54 PM
I'd say this is likely to happen given the fact that Aston Martin was recently purchased by Kuwaiti investors and Kuwaiti government already has huge shares in Mercedes and Daimler.

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by nameIess | August 30, 2008 1:48 AM

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