Aston Martin is counting on seven new models to completely reinvent itself

By Ronan Glon Published March 28, 2017

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The historic Lagonda nameplate is one of Aston Martin’s most underutilized assets. That’s about to change, and the brand is set to make a full-fledged return before the end of the decade to take on the biggest names in the luxury segment.

Lagonda’s range of ultra-luxurious cruisers will initially include just two models: a sedan and an SUV. Engineers are developing the cars to rival the best that Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Mercedes-Maybach have to offer, but company boss Andy Palmer revealed Aston won’t settle for copying what others are doing. Aston Martin and performance are inseparable, so its approach to luxury must be unique.

Recommended Videos

“The direction I gave to [Aston design boss] Marek Reichman was “look, Rolls-Royce is the epitome of luxury. It’s first class in a 777 — big, comfortable. We can’t compete with them. Give me Concorde — the best of speed; the finest of fastest cars,” explained Palmer in an interview with Australian website Motoring.

A handful of powertrain, chassis, and electrical components will be shared across the Aston Martin and Lagonda lineups in order to save money on research and development, but the interior and exterior design will be unique. “It’s got to look like it comes from a different father,” summed up Palmer. In contrast, every Maybach-badged model launched since the nameplate’s resurrection has been visibly based on a Mercedes-Benz.

At the opposite end of the high-end, high-dollar segment, Aston Martin will introduce a mid-engined coupe developed to run alongside the Lamborghini Huracán and the Ferrari 488 GTB. It will attempt to one-up its main rivals by relying on a naturally aspirated V12 engine for power, and insiders who spoke to British magazine Autocar suggested it will be one of the most beautiful cars ever to come out of Aston’s design department. Many of the aerodynamic add-ons required for high-speed motoring will be hidden under the car to create a pure, fluid silhouette.

Aston’s product offensive calls for the launch of seven new models in the coming years, including the three detailed above and a high-riding model named DBX. By the turn of the decade, the company’s lineup will look completely different than it does today.

Topics

Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Cars

Hyundai’s brand new Ioniq 9 EV features backseat lounge

hyundai ioniq 9 lounge 4 single image desktop

After months of teasing details about the Ioniq 9, Hyundai’s much-anticipated, three-row electric SUV, the company finally unveiled it at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

One of the Ioniq 9’s promised features -- that the SUV had the ability to offer a lounge-like interior – had most of us wondering what exactly that might mean.

Cars

Kia America COO says ending EV tax credit would be dumb

kia coo ending ev incentive dumb zeta evs

With Kia just getting started with the expansion of its U.S.-made electric-vehicle (EV) lineup, the automaker may have a good perspective on what losing tax incentives on EVs could mean for the industry and the economy.

The transition team of the incoming Trump administration is reportedly planning to end the federal $7,500 tax credit on the purchase or lease of an EV. Under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), an EV made in North America is eligible for the incentive.

Cars

Mercedes bets solar paint is part of EV-charging future

mercedes solar paint evs benz electric camper

It’s been said that Albert Einstein’s genius came from his ability to freely wonder and ask child-like questions way before he even tried applying science-based solutions.
It seems some within the R&D department at Mercedes-Benz might be similarly inspired. The German automaker is currently developing a special solar paint that, when applied on the surface of vehicles, can harness enough energy from the sun to power up EVs.
The energy generated by the paint’s solar cells can be used for driving or fed directly into a high-voltage battery.
“The photovoltaic system is permanently active and also generates energy when the vehicle is switched off,” Mercedes says. “In the future, this could be a highly effective solution for increased electric range and fewer charging stops.”
The layer of paste to be applied on EVs is significantly thinner than a human hair, yet its photovoltaic cells are packed full of energy. Covering the surface of a mid-size SUV with the paint could produce enough energy for up to 7,456 miles per year under ideal conditions, Mercedes says.
This does imply being in geographic locations with plenty of sun hours during the day.
But even with less-than-ideal sun hours, the energy yielded can make a significant difference to EV charging. Mercedes says the solar-paint charge could provide 100% of needed energy for an average daily drive of 32 miles in sun-drenched Los Angeles. In much less sunny conditions -- such as around Mercedes’ headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany -- it would still yield enough energy for 62% of the distance.
An added bonus for environmentally-conscious drivers: Unlike some solar panels, the solar paint contains no rare earth or silicon – only non-toxic, readily available raw materials. It’s also easy to recycle and considerably cheaper to produce than conventional solar modules, Mercedes says.
The likes of Aptera, Sono Motors, Lightyear, and Hyundai have also been researching how to best harness solar energy to power up EVs.
But that’s been mostly through solar panels yielding enough energy for small and light vehicles, such as Aptera’s three-wheel solar EV. Solar paint could bring solar charging for bigger vehicles, such as electric SUVs, Mercedes says.