Aston Martin to continue building V12 sports cars for at least next five years
Words: Zane Shackleton
Aston Martin will keep making V12 engines for at least the next five years, after which the motor may only be available in limited special editions.
Aston has already said they intend to only produce electric-powered sports cars from 2030. And last year, they announced the swansong V12 Vantage is on its way.
However, it appears Aston wants to hold onto their dozen-cylinder motor for as long as they can.
“The V12 still has a bit of potential, and having the V12 Vantage shows there’s still room for a V12 in our sports car generation,” CEO Tobias Moers told Autocar UK.
He circled sometime in 2026 or 2027 as provisional dates for when Aston will phase the V12 out of production. Beyond that and you’ll likely only be able to have a V12 in uber-exclusive limited editions.
“If you still have customers chasing [a V12], it’s small numbers,” he said. “We’re not talking about mass production.”
The DBS will continue housing a V12 engine with no immediate plans to switch to the modified Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo V8 currently used in the DBX SUV.
And while the new Vantage will be the last of its kind, Moers says the V12 engine will still play an important role in Aston’s current generation of sports cars.
“The V12 Vantage gives an impression of where we move with the brand. It’s the highest-performance sports car Aston ever did. It gives an idea what we’re going to do with sports car manufacture.”
Once the Aston V12 does meet its end, Aston will likely continue using the AMG V8 or their own inline-six. Downsizing to anything smaller so quickly will be “a step too far.”
Last week, Aston said they were overhauling their DBS, DB11 and Vantage line-up. Changes include engine, transmission and suspension tweaks, as well as the long-awaited introduction of a touchscreen.
