Mercedes Will Soon Own A 20% Chunk Of Aston Martin

Aston Martin just took another significant step in securing its long-term future. Having already benefited from billonaire Lawrence Stroll’s huge cash injection, which will see the Racing Point F1 team become an Aston-branded works outfit, the company will soon be on the receiving end of a whole load of Mercedes tech.

Mercedes-Benz AG took a five per cent stake in Aston back in 2013, which lead to the British company taking electronics and AMG V8 engines from the German backers. This will soon increase to 20 per cent, and in return, will get even more Daimler gear.

This will largely revolve around “powertrain architecture” for all models due to launch up to 2027, with conventional ICE, hybrid and fully-electric vehicles covered. The arrangement, “Removes the costs and risks associated with developing these technologies, enabling Aston Martin to focus its investment in other areas and expand its product portfolio,” a press release states. Mercedes will also have the right to place a non-executive director.

It’s unclear what this means for development of Aston Martin’s in-house turbocharged V6 to continue. Although it hasn’t been mentioned in this update, development has progressed significantly, with testing footage revealed earlier this year. CT sister title Auto Express quotes Aston boss Tobias Moers as saying it’s “too early” to decide the future of the project.

A Ferrari F8 Tributo-rivalling mid-engined supercar - first previewed by 2018’s Vanquish concept - remains firmly on the agenda. A “launch of a mid-engine range” has been noted as part of Aston Martin’s plan for the next few years, including a refresh of its front-engined sports cars and an expansion of its SUV portfolio.

Sweeping changes have been made since became Executive chairman six months ago. Costs have been cut, dealer stock has been decreased to boost residual values, and CEO Andy Palmer has been replaced by Mercedes-AMG boss Moers.

Commenting on the news, Moers said:

“Today’s expansion of our partnership with Mercedes-Benz AG is a critical step towards achieving our goals for Aston Martin. The capabilities of Mercedes-Benz AG technology will be fundamental to ensure our future products remain competitive and will allow us to invest efficiently in the areas that truly differentiate our products.”

By 2025, Aston Martin is targetting annual sales of 9000 - 10,000 units a year, compared to 5862 in 2019.