[Team] Aston Martin Racing in 2023. One of the cars still has Alonso.

[Akrapovic]

Well, the phone GPS is just one part of the phone. Like the GPS in the car is. If we take the whole cost of the phone into account, and then take the whole cost of the car into account, then you could buy a new iPhone every 2 months on the monthly cost of a Mercedes ;-)

However, I don't think the cost of upgrading a GPS or a phone is really an issue for those buying Aston Martins and high end Mercedes lol.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

£0. Software updates for iPhone and Android phones are free. Software functionality is added completely for free. Both Apple and Google provide GPS directions through their own mapping systems, which are updated continuously without the user doing anything (since its cloud based).

You don't need to buy a new phone for the same reason you don't need to buy a new car every year. It still works. Unlike the car though, the phone will get free updates through its life time. The car will not. And even if you do buy a new iPhone, you don't need a flagship phone. The SE is £400 without a contract. Android phones can be much cheaper. And everyone generally has a phone for other use anyway.

I appreciate we have gone way off topic here. However I think the same is true of the ICE/SatNav. If I don't pay to update, the system will still work.
Whereas a handset requires a data connection (which is paid for by someone), the car system is being done at the dealer.

Ultimately, I see the point that the majority of people carry a device capable of navigating for them so do not need to pay a car dealer for updates - but I often wonder why people want a premium brand/product without paying a premium for it?

Possibly getting (partially) back on topic. If I want a car to get from A-B, I can do it for much cheaper than buying a recent-model Mercedes or Aston Martin. No-one is forcing people to buy these marques, so I don't get why there are complaints about the charges they make at dealers.

It reminds me of a comment once from a friend who worked in a car dealer, which was along the lines of:
'Customers who come in and buy a top of the range model costing £50k+ are easy to deal with, because they accept that everything associated with running a £50k+ car can be expensive.
Customers who come in and but an entry-level model are easy to deal with, because we make everything associated with running that car as affordable as possible.
The worst customers to deal with are those who buy a car that was £50k+ when new, once the value has depreciated below £20k, but forget that it is still a £50k+ car and expect the running costs to be the same as a brand new £20k model'

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I appreciate we have gone way off topic here. However I think the same is true of the ICE/SatNav. If I don't pay to update, the system will still work.\

I don't believe these are the same thing. If you don't pay for GPS Upgrade in your car it will remain the same. But GPS updates in your phone are free. Apple and Google Maps are both updated regularly for free. Sometimes you get an upgrade without even getting a software update as it's all cloud driven. This is not the case in the majority of cars.

I'd argue most car GPS are not premium features. They're sold as part of a premium pack but they are rarely good. Which is a good analogy for the Strolls And now we're on topic.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I'd argue most car GPS are not premium features. They're sold as part of a premium pack but they are rarely good. Which is a good analogy for the Strolls And now we're on topic.

I see what you did there. Nice.

[Moneyseeker]

Stroll will move to a Ferrari model IMO. More defined range, probably some sort of clienti style program anchored by F1, WEC and GT programs.

All supported by leveraging the brand and pedigree.

This is why Mercedes are increasing their stake at the low share price.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Moneyseeker

Stroll will move to a Ferrari model IMO. More defined range, probably some sort of clienti style program anchored by F1, WEC and GT programs.

All supported by leveraging the brand and pedigree.

This is why Mercedes are increasing their stake at the low share price.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Interesting. I’m fairly sure they’ll concentrate on selling badge-engineered Merc 4x4s.

Like the Bentley Bentayga / Audi Q7 clone.

In fact, not too different to the clothing model.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Interesting. I’m fairly sure they’ll concentrate on selling badge-engineered Merc 4x4s.

Like the Bentley Bentayga / Audi Q7 clone.

In fact, not too different to the clothing model.

I'm kind of leaning towards the same thinking. There might be a couple of token rebodied AMG jobs down the line too.

[crmalcolm]

Aston Martin to provide F1 safety cars from 2021

While it's not clear which road car from Aston Martin’s portfolio will act as safety car, a race-derived Vantage is said to be currently favourite for the role. The medical car will be a DBX, which uses the same 4.0-litre V8 engine as the current AMG GT R cars that act as safety and medical cars.

[Adam43]

Crikey!

Let’s hope they don’t breakdown /joke, we’d all love an Aston.

[crmalcolm]

I guess if the racing team car is a replica of the MB, the safety car can be an MB replica with an AM badge on too?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I guess if the racing team car is a replica of the MB, the safety car can be an MB replica with an AM badge on too?

Isn't that just the new Aston street car plan?

[Adam43]

Ha ha.

I believe that they relationship with Merc is unlikely to go much further than the supply of the bits that are just too expensive for a small manufacturer to develop. i.e. engines which need to keep up with emission changes and electronics which need to constant updating for technology.

Chassis and styling will remain Aston. Otherwise what is the point.

Actually that ain’t to different is it?

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Ha ha.

I believe that they relationship with Merc is unlikely to go much further than the supply of the bits that are just too expensive for a small manufacturer to develop. i.e. engines which need to keep up with emission changes and electronics which need to constant updating for technology.

Chassis and styling will remain Aston. Otherwise what is the point.

Actually that ain’t to different is it?

And hopefully the door bits, knobs and other parts still left from the Ford and Volvo parts bins because it just wouldn't be a modern AM without lots of others bits and bobs.

Course the baby Ferrari has, possibly had as the new model may not, the same center "infotainment" unit as my Ram truck does so

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

And hopefully the door bits, knobs and other parts still left from the Ford and Volvo parts bins because it just wouldn't be a modern AM without lots of others bits and bobs.

I’ve been lucky to drive a few modern Astons. It was normally these bits that dropped off! Nothing wrong with the bit, just how they were attached.

I exaggerate a bit I can only think of a couple of things. Although considering how infrequent I am luck to be in one that is quite a high strike rate!

Course the baby Ferrari has, possibly had as the new model may not, the same center "infotainment" unit as my Ram truck does so

Thank heavens. Imagine Ferrari designing their own rather than taking advantage of group.

[S griffin]

I wonder if the ejector seat will ever come in handy on the SC next year?

[Tourer]

Aston Martin looking for the rules on aero changes this year to be tweaked - claiming that it is unfair (isn't life unfair generally?).

Horner thinks that AM is being Naive, points out that changes were unanimously agreed, including by AM (or Racing Point as they then were).

I was thinking that we might start to see some stuff like this from AM when the going gets tougher, as I watched Lawrence Stroll on "Drive to Survive". Wondered if he'd be the latest in a long line of wealthy people buying into F1 teams and expecting results to improve by their normal business methods, only to find out that F1 is a unique animal. After that, ego and probably some arrogance comes into play but often leads to having a sulk and walking away from the sport - not good for a team when that happens.

I'd suggest that every team in pit lane feels that there will be regulations that work against them but they all understand that working smarter and harder themselves is how they deal with that - one of the challenges of F1.

I guess alternatively the AM crew could go back into (T)Racing Point mode (sorry Gert) and head over to Milton Keynes with their tracing paper and pencils?

[Adam43]

Maaaaaa maaaaa maaaa it’s not fair!

[steve_r]

When I read the headline that Aston Martin wanted the FIA to change the rules to suit their own (!) car design, I genuinely thought that it was journalistic nonsense. Then I read the actual quote and cant believe what I am hearing.

They got away with so much last year in terms of inspiration over their car design, lets not forget.

The low rake Mercedes seems to be doing alright so far. Perhaps Aston should have copied a few parts from them. For once, Christian Horners response was spot on. Naive.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by steve_r

When I read the headline that Aston Martin wanted the FIA to change the rules to suit their own (!) car design, I genuinely thought that it was journalistic nonsense. Then I read the actual quote and cant believe what I am hearing.

They got away with so much last year in terms of inspiration over their car design, lets not forget.

The low rake Mercedes seems to be doing alright so far. Perhaps Aston should have copied a few parts from them. For once, Christian Horners response was spot on. Naive.

“Inspiration” lol.

[chillibowl]

over reliance on purchased parts, inability to design/fix their own way out of their issues, drivers not suited for the cause, expanded too quickly and lost their previous efficiency?

Or just another billionaire who underestimated F1?

Only 3 races in but their season looks done?

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

over reliance on purchased parts, inability to design/fix their own way out of their issues, drivers not suited for the cause, expanded too quickly and lost their previous efficiency?

Or just another billionaire who underestimated F1?

Only 3 races in but their season looks done?

This season is nothing more than a holding pattern until the big changes in 2022.

[chillibowl]

It certainly is looking that way now.

With the budget cap in effect, perhaps they should be spending this years money on next years car...which i imagine must be allowed.

[Tourer]

Makes sense to me as well - can't imagine that they'll be the only "also ran" team doing it - as we know Haas has been quite open about not developing its car this year and focussing on the new jigger for next year.

Not a great way to start the new Aston Martin era though - accelerating hard in reverse in terms of relative pace / positions to last year's season. Given that Mercedes seems to have worked out how to be competitive with its low-rake design, maybe Aston Martin needs to get the cameras out again?

[Adam43]

I agree that they’ll be concentrating on 2022. I suspect that they assumed that even doing that they would be further up the grid in 2021 after their strong 2020.

[steve_r]

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/977291...t-lowrake-cars

More moaning from Aston Martin. Perhaps they should copy the Red Bull design next year. I used to quite like this team, but the blatant copying was bad enough, but now the attempts to get the rules changed because they have copied the "wrong " design concept is hard to take seriously.