Aston Martin underwent significant changes last year when Tobias Moers - formerly in charge of Mercedes-AMG - replaced Andy Palmer as chief executive of the British marque, arriving with an ambitious roadmap for what comes next.
In an interview with the UK magazine Autocar, Tobias Moers set out the direction of this strategy - known as Project Horizon - which calls for “more than 10 cars” to be launched by the end of 2023, the arrival of luxury Lagonda versions in the market, and several electrified derivatives, including a fully electric sports car.
It is worth recalling that Aston Martin’s chief executive had already stated recently that, from 2030 onwards, every model from the Gaydon brand will be electrified - hybrids and electric vehicles - with the exception of its competition cars.
Vanquish and Valhalla sit at the centre of this new Aston Martin era. First previewed in 2019 as mid-engined concepts, both were initially intended to use the company’s all-new hybrid V6, developed entirely in-house (its first new V6 since 1968).
However, following the closer relationship between Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG, development of that engine was shelved, and the two models are now expected to use hybrid powertrains sourced from the Affalterbach brand.
“Both will look different, but they will be even better,” said Moers. On the V6 engine, Aston Martin’s boss was unequivocal: “I found an engine concept that was not capable of meeting Euro 7. It would have required another huge investment that was too large to deliver.”
According to the German executive, this target could be achieved as soon as 2024 or 2025. The next stage of the company’s expansion is due to begin in the second half of this year, when the Valkyrie hypercar is set to go on sale.
Two new DBX versions
A new version of the Aston Martin DBX is also due in the third quarter of 2021, with rumours suggesting it will be a new V6 hybrid variant that becomes the entry point to the UK manufacturer’s SUV line-up.
But that is not the only planned update for the DBX. In April next year, it is expected to gain a fresh V8-powered version, aimed squarely at the Lamborghini Urus.
During the same interview, Moers also pointed to a “broader range for the Vantage and for the DB11”, with that expansion already under way thanks to the new Vantage F1 Edition - the road-going counterpart to Formula 1’s new Safety Car.
That model will be joined by an even more extreme and more powerful derivative, which will become the first Aston Martin whose development Moers has overseen closely from the outset.
DB11, Vantage and DBS: facelift on the way
“We have a very ageing sports car range,” Moers explained, signalling a facelift for the DB11, Vantage and DBS: “The new Vantage, DB11 and DBS will be of the same generation, but will have a new infotainment system and many other new things.”
Moers did not confirm a specific date for the unveiling of each update, but according to the aforementioned UK publication they are expected to arrive over the next 18 months.
Lagonda as a byword for luxury
Aston Martin’s previous plans envisioned bringing Lagonda to market - as a standalone brand - with luxury, purely electric models designed to rival Rolls-Royce. Moers, however, argues that approach is “wrong, because it dilutes the main brand”.
Aston Martin’s boss is clear that Lagonda needs to be “a more luxurious brand”, but says the exact plan has not yet been finalised. Even so, he confirmed that Aston Martin will produce Lagonda variants of its existing models, with a stronger focus on luxury, in the same way Mercedes-Benz does with Maybach.
Fully electric sports car in 2025
Over the coming years, Aston Martin intends to introduce electrified versions - hybrids and fully electric models - across all its segments, something Moers believes will create “even more opportunities for the brand”.
A fully electric sports car is one of those “opportunities” Moers refers to, and it is expected to arrive in 2025, at around the same time as a fully electric version of the DBX. Even so, Moers did not share any technical details about either model.
But while full-scale electrification is still on the horizon for the Gaydon marque, you can always enjoy the “singing” V12 of the 725 hp DBS Superleggera, as tested on video by Guilherme Costa for Razão Automóvel’s YouTube channel:
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