2017 Aston Martin DB9 Replacement Spy Shots
Aston Martin has started Nürburgring testing for a new modular platform that will underpin its next generation of sports cars, starting with a DB9 replacement due in showrooms in late 2016 or early the following year. The new platform is concealed inside the makeshift body of a V12 Vantage but the extra wide wheel arches, slightly stretched wheelbase and modifications made to the grille area suggest we’re looking at an early mule for the DB9 replacement.
Aston Martin confirmed it was
working on the new platform back in April, after it received some
much-needed funding from its investors. However, apart from the fact the platform is being designed to accommodate a new V-8 engine and some electrical systems
sourced from Mercedes-AMG, there is very little we know about it.
The platform will be Aston Martin’s first all-new design since the venerable VH (Vertical-Horizontal) platform introduced in the first-generation Vanquish back in 2001. The automaker says the platform will enable its cars to be at the forefront of design, performance and technology, and in addition to Mercedes-AMG’s V-8 engine the platform will also likely fit the current 6.0-liter V-12, which will be supplied to Aston by Ford
until at least 2018.
As mentioned above, the new platform will debut in the next-generation DB9 in 2016 before eventually appearing in a replacement for the Vantage. That means existing versions of the two Aston sports cars still have several years left on the shelf.
Expect Aston Martin engineers to stick with bonded aluminum construction for the new platform, but with weight and rigidity metrics improved compared to the outgoing VH platform. The new platform is also expected to be more flexible in terms of wheelbase and track width, meaning any replacement for the Rapide is likely to grow in size. Note, there’s a chance we
may not see a Rapide replacement, and it’s highly likely we
won’t be seeing any SUV from Aston Martin.
One thing we do know is that the Mercedes-AMG engine to be supplied to Aston Martin will be a variation of the new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 debuting in the
2016 Mercedes-AMG GT. Output will likely be capped at around 500 horsepower, with the Ford-sourced V-12 to serve as the performance flagship. An eight-speed automatic from ZF will be offered, and hopefully a conventional manual will too.
It’s likely we’ll see a new concept from Aston Martin previewing its DB9 replacement sometime next year, with the production version to debut in 2016. It’s possible the car will be called the DB10, a name
Aston Martin recently trademarked.
Source:
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1095057_2017-aston-martin-db9-replacement-spy-shots
