News

Aston Martin says it will continue to produce its V-12 engine for the next five years.It’ll be seen in the upcoming V12 Vantage, along with the replacements for the DB11 and DBS.We won’t see a V-12 in the DBX SUV or in the upcoming mid-engined Vanquish and Valhalla supercars.Given that fewer than 50,000 12-cylinder cars are produced around the world each year (including Bentley and Audi’s W-12 examples), the question of which automaker will be the last to produce a V-12 engine might seem like a peripheral one. Yet the fate of this aristocratic cylinder configuration is one we take a keen interest in given the number of significant cars to have used V-12s. Now Aston Martin has confirmed it plans to keep offering its own V-12 until it is forced to stop by toughening European emissions standards. This means it will stick around for another five years, until 2026 or 2027.This is mildly surprising given that the newly announced DBX707 will use a reworked version of the twin-turbocharged AMG 4.0-liter V-8 making 697 horsepower—nearly as much as the 715 hp the twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12 makes in the range-topping DBS. But Aston CEO Tobias Moers says there is no logic in using the new engine to replace the V-12 in its existing applications.“We won’t do that, the V-12 still has a bit of potential,” he said at the online unveiling of the DBX707, “and having the V12 Vantage shows there is still room for a V-12 in our sports car generation.”

The new V12 Vantage will be launched later this year and it will use much of the front structure developed for the V12 Speedster that Aston launched last year. We can also expect to see the V-12 continue in the cars that replace the current DB11 and DBS, with Aston insiders having confirmed that these cars will continue to use the same core structure of the current models. Moers did say that there are no plans to put the V-12 in the DBX, though.

V12 Speedster
Aston Martin

“Why should I get rid of the V-12 for the time being?” Moers asked. “The end of the life cycle for all these V-12s is the year 2026-2027.” That timeline corresponds to the proposed arrival of ultra-tough combustion standards in Europe, including real-time emissions reporting. “We’re not going to re-engineer the V-12 to make that.”Others of the select band of V-12 manufacturers have already confirmed plans to end production of their powerplants sooner. BMW is marketing a run of Final Edition M760Li sedans to mark the retirement of its engine. But while Aston’s V-12 is set to last longer than others, it is unlikely to be the final automaker with one in production: Lamborghini has confirmed the Aventador replacement will be launched with a hybridized naturally aspirated V-12, one with a lifespan that will run into the 2030s.

Moers also confirmed that the Vanquish and Valhalla mid-engined supercars Aston are developing won’t use the V-12, with both set to use versions of a V-8 based around the AMG GT Black Series’ flat-plane-crank V-8. This will be hand-built by the British company in the U.K. He also said this hybridized powerplant will come in both two- and three-motor configurations, with the latter using a pair of electric motors on the front axle capable of torque vectoring, like the Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

In a world of possibilities, some of them become missed opportunities. And that was enough of a thought on which to hang this week’s episode of Window Shopping, an inspired idea submitted by viewer John Alterio.Five seasoned car writers—all dedicated, professional, and knowledgeable—gathered once again over Zoom to review old memories of the cars they nearly bought but, for some reason, let pass. These are cars that bring with them a haunting regret. Oh, the adventure that never was.Please join the five of us for this week’s episode of good, mostly clean, nearly coherent, always obsessive and informative automotive fun. Does that competition matter? No. So who cares if it’s corrupted and always inconsistent? Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds. Have you noticed that it’s better edited than before? Hey, there’s a dedicated video guy on board now, and his name is Carlos Lago.Mentioned in this episode: split-journal cranks, Dodge Viper parts, Triumph wheel-trim rings, CarMax, Carmex, Porsche nerdiness, and a surprising comparison of a 1.6-liter’s torque peak with childhood torture. As in every episode of course, the proper positioning of Porsche wheel crests and the incredible Toyota Tundra are mentioned. Somehow, and disappointingly, the importance of the color of brake fluid never arose.Who “won”? YouTube. Again.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort shown here has a current bid of just over $1.6 million on the Bring a Trailer online auction website, with bids being taken until Monday, February 14.This 959 shows just 1300 kilometers (807 miles) on the odometer.The car could set a new Bring a Trailer sales price record, potentially beating a Porsche Carrera GT that sold on the site last month for $2 million.Things are moving fast at Bring a Trailer (which, like C/D, is part of Hearst Autos). In January, the auction website had its most expensive sale ever, a Porsche Carrera GT that sold for just over $1.9 million. Then just two weeks later, another Carrera GT hit the $2 million mark. Now, there’s another car that stands a good chance of toppling that record: a 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort with just 1300 kilometers (807 miles) on its odometer. The current bid, with 10 days to go, is $1,651,959.

Bring a Trailer

Even if it doesn’t set a new record, this Guards Red 959 has already doubled the price of the last 959 to appear on BaT, a silver example with 24,000 miles that failed to meet reserve at $810,000. That was five years ago, however, and 959 values certainly have risen since then.

Bring a Trailer

This ultra-low-mileage example was imported into the United States in 2015 after spending time in a museum in Japan. Service in the past year includes a clutch slave cylinder, an air-conditioning recharge, and new tires. There is, however, mechanical work still to be done, as the selling dealer has disclosed that the height-adjustable feature of the suspension and the ABS brake feature are currently not functioning.

Bring a Trailer

Bidders appear to be undaunted. Opportunities to purchase a Porsche 959 don’t come along often, as just 337 were built over the course of three years (1986–1988). The car was not sold in the United States when new, but it can now be imported.

Bring a Trailer

The 959 was a mind-blowing supercar in its day and one of the most significant Porsches ever made. Its flat-six engine was derived from the motor that powered the 956 and 962 racing cars, and it produced 444 horsepower. Driving all four wheels, it was good for a sub-four-second zero-to-60-mph time and a top speed of 197 mph. In a period road test of the 959, C/D said, “We have just returned from West Germany, where we finally got a chance to drive the Porsche 959 on the street, and the word ‘perfect’ is difficult to avoid.” In 2020, we called the 959 one of the greatest cars of all time.

Bring a Trailer

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More