The V-12 engine will be used by Aston Martin until 2026
The V-12 should be available in the DB11 and DBS successors, but not in the DBX or the upcoming Vanquish and Valhalla mid-engined supercars.
The V-12 engine will be produced by Aston Martin for the next five years, according to the company. It'll be featured alongside the replacements for the DB11 and DBS in the future V12 Vantage. The DBX SUV, as well as the future mid-engined Vanquish and Valhalla supercars, will not have a V-12.
Given that less than 50,000 12-cylinder cars are made each year around the world (including Bentley and Audi's W-12 models), the subject of which automaker will be the last to produce a V-12 engine may seem minor. Given the amount of noteworthy cars that have utilised V-12s, the fate of this aristocratic cylinder design is one we are keenly interested in.
Now, Aston Martin has announced that it would continue to offer its own V-12 until European emissions regulations compel it to quit. This indicates that it will continue to exist for another five years, until 2026 or 2027.
Given that the recently announced DBX707 will feature a revised version of the twin-turbocharged AMG 4.0-liter V-8 with 697 horsepower—nearly as much as the range-topping DBS's twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12 with 715 horsepower—this is rather surprising. However, Aston CEO Tobias Moers claims that adopting the new engine to replace the V-12 in existing applications is illogical.
"We won't do that," he declared at the DBX707's online reveal, "the V-12 still has a bit of potential, and having the V12 Vantage demonstrates there is still room for a V-12 in our sports car generation."
"For the time being, why should I get rid of the V-12?" Moers was the one who inquired. "All of these V-12s will reach the end of their life cycle in 2026-2027." The projected advent of ultra-tough combustion regulations in Europe, including real-time emissions reporting, aligns to that period. "We're not re-engineering the V-12 to do that."
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Others in the restricted group of V-12 manufacturers have already stated that they want to stop producing their engines sooner. BMW is selling a limited number of Final Edition M760Li sedans to commemorate the engine's retirement.
While Aston's V-12 is expected to live longer than others, it is unlikely that it will be the last automaker to produce one: Lamborghini has revealed that the Aventador replacement will be powered by a hybridised naturally aspirated V-12 engine that will last until the 2030s.
Moers also announced that Aston's mid-engined supercars, the Vanquish and Valhalla, will not employ the V-12, instead opting for a V-8 based on the AMG GT Black Series' flat-plane-crank V-8. This will be handcrafted in the United Kingdom by a British firm.
He also stated that this hybridised powertrain will be available in two- and three-motor configurations, with the latter employing a pair of torque-vectoring electric motors on the front axle, similar to the Ferrari SF90 Stradale.