Aston Martin throws V12 a lifeline

Aston Martin has confirmed its powerful twin-turbo V12 petrol engine will remain in production until at least 2025.

Originally it was feared the V12 twin-turbo, which produces a thumping 533kW and 900Nm of torque under the bonnet of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, might be quietly phased out for the significantly more efficient Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.

Other car-makers, including Mercedes-Benz, have dropped its V12 for core vehicles – with the exception of Mercedes-Maybach models – due to high emissions.

But according to Aston Martin chief Tobias Moers, its flagship engine will live on for as long as possible.

To keep it relevant, Moers says engineers are current overhauling the 5.2-litre unit – which was only introduced back in 2016 – to keep it relevant, with the V12 set to be ever-present in the forthcoming update of the Aston GT range.

“The V12 is still there, we’re just doing an evolution of it to keep it in our portfolio,” he said.

In his own words, Moers admits the V12 is “not the most modern” of its kind, but recent subtle recalibration for the Aston Martin V12 Speedster model unlocked more of its potential.

“I changed the driveability of the V12 with the Speedster to get a linear power output and it’s really good,” he said.

“Before, it was high torque at low revs [which] meant it was undriveable on track, especially in the wet. What we have achieved now with V12 is just the beginning.”

According to Moers, the recent overhaul will extend the V12’s life but strict EU7 emissions restrictions could still render it obsolete.

“For sure, that engine [V12] will have a future, don’t know how long, EU7 is coming up, but we’ll keep it as long as we can,” he said.

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