What is Aston Martin up to?

[chernaudi]

Also, if the Valhalla isn't as suited to GTE (as it's due to be the longer term top of the range car below the Valkyrie), could the Vanquish Vision maybe be a future GTE car as it's basically a simplified Valhalla and uses a more traditional aluminum monocoque as opposed to a carbon tub like the Valhalla?

[Mike E]

Ghiotto signs for R-Motorsport GT3. Lining up a hypercar drive?

https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-c...unner-ghiotto/

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Ghiotto signs for R-Motorsport GT3. Lining up a hypercar drive?

https://sportscar365.com/sro/world-c...unner-ghiotto/

R Motorsport are supposed to be a shoe in for 2 custom hypercars........

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

R Motorsport are supposed to be a shoe in for 2 custom hypercars........

Hence joining the team now in a GT3 car to show them the work ethic and driver feedback to earn the hypercar ride later

[Mike E]

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/i...tial-investors

[RL17]

So the Stroll finance deal and him becoming chairman with a F1 team focus for AML in 2021 is done.

Red Bull arrangements for Valkyrie to stop once customer cars done.

Probably not good for WEC Valkyrie and GTE program? Hopefully not a repeat of the post 1959 events?

[S griffin]

Stroll has done quite a bit with Racing Point, but I did not expect him to take the Aston Martin name like that. Really a bit of a shame for RBR, they seemed to fit well with Aston. We’ll see what the future holds. The Aston Martin name has been here for a long time and I also wonder how it’s sportscar programme can be affected

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by RL17

So the Stroll finance deal and him becoming chairman with a F1 team focus for AML in 2021 is done.

Red Bull arrangements for Valkyrie to stop once customer cars done.

Probably not good for WEC Valkyrie and GTE program? Hopefully not a repeat of the post 1959 events?

Where did you read that? The statements I've read from Red Bull Advanced Technologies say they are fully moving the project to their side rather than Red Bull Racing involvement. It says nothing about the project ending at the end of delivery at all.

Doubt it will impact the GTE program much, possibly involvement expansion. If you read the investment statements, there is a short-term cash problem and a longer term better outlook after capital outlay for the new plant. We've seen how well the ugliest cars on the planet sell and Aston "SUV" is one of the better looking ones and will be the new kid last.

[crmalcolm]

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/...aking-f1-ties/

[Juntos]

This is very much the end of the useless GTE programme.

[TF110]

The Valkyrie is safe. I think the hypercar program is also safe, for now. Glad they canceled the electric car crap. Jumping on the bandwagon is not going to save them. They stick with their core and do the suvs thing. That's enough for now. Battery investment is a huge undertaking and if you don't do it then you are at the mercy of buying one. Bad enough that they are buying Mercedes engines. Racing Point turns into Aston Martin... that just broadens their image. Stroll already has a stake in the f1 team so it's just a rebranding. Smart move imo.

[S griffin]

I am sure the Sportscar programme will be safe for a while. But will they able to spread themselves about long term. Aston Martin have done well to keep going, but they probably will need to cut a few programmes now. Still was not expecting them to join F1 like that. Stroll obviously saw the benefits. It gives them more exposure. Now they need the car to go well

[RL17]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Where did you read that? The statements I've read from Red Bull Advanced Technologies say they are fully moving the project to their side rather than Red Bull Racing involvement. It says nothing about the project ending at the end of delivery at all.

From the 31 Jan 2020 AML listed parent company stock exchange announcement:

'The technology partnership between Aston Martin Lagonda and Red Bull Advanced Technologies will continue until Aston Martin Valkyrie is delivered.'

So maybe I'm reading this in a negative slant, but why would Red Bull still support an AM car after customer version delivered in late 2020 if they are competitors in F1 very soon afterwards.

Plus the costs of a fuller F1 project to AML limiting their support.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by RL17

So maybe I'm reading this in a negative slant, but why would Red Bull still support an AM car after customer version delivered in late 2020 if they are competitors in F1 very soon afterwards.

Being competitors in F1 and technical partners for a road car are very different things.

[TF110]

I think RB might start a new partnership with another automotive brand... Honda is my guess. No more AM branding and the Valkyrie is the only thing that has their touch on it. I would say that the partnership is coming to an end on every front.

on some Aston Martin news, Nicki Thiim is going to be joining Tomonobu Fujii driving the d-station GT300 (gt3) Aston in Super GT this year plus they are running Michelin tires, look out for that!

[Columbus]

Aston Martin's WEC Hypercar will be the first casualty of new finance/management structure. New Executive Chairman Stroll is an established Formula 1 guy with a portfolio of luxury brands to promote - he's not going to dilute the F1 budget to race in a class with no competition (2 LMP1 teams at CoTA 2020, 2 manufacturers signed up for Hypercar!) and no audience.

Beyond that, the future looks tough for cash-strapped AM. Costs have forced it to mothball electric car development and pin its survival on an old school SUV with a borrowed Benz V8 - just as the UK government announced it plans to outlaw new internal combustion car sales in 15 years.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Columbus

Aston Martin's WEC Hypercar will be the first casualty of new finance/management structure. New Executive Chairman Stroll is an established Formula 1 guy with a portfolio of luxury brands to promote - he's not going to dilute the F1 budget to race in a class with no competition (2 LMP1 teams at CoTA 2020, 2 manufacturers signed up for Hypercar!) and no audience.

Beyond that, the future looks tough for cash-strapped AM. Costs have forced it to mothball electric car development and pin its survival on an old school SUV with a borrowed Benz V8 - just as the UK government announced it plans to outlaw new internal combustion car sales in 15 years.

Because the current chassis would still be made in 15 years? So don't build now because you MIGHT not be able to sell something in 15 years? Yeah, that's SMART financial planning.

As for competition and supposed established F1 guy. First, his team is NOT an established team as HIS. He bought in to a failing team, owner not team effort, and sadly things haven't been as good as they were with Force India. And oh yeah, the competition is so fierce in F1 as well.

[Columbus]

Not much evidence of SMART financial planning at Aston Martin lately - their bold second century product plan wiped 75% off the company’s stock value! Fossil-fuelled cars are over. The future is electric and AM is already trailing its high-end sports car rivals by a decade.

If Stroll has any sense (I can think of 2.6 billion reasons that suggest he has) he’ll spend wisely and promote Aston Martin alongside his other luxury brands in the motor racing championship with the largest global audience - Formula 1.

He won’t be the first car company boss to choose F1 over WEC and he won’t be the last. The ACO’s unfathomable meddling has driven manufacturers away from top tier sports car racing and fans have followed. F1 is very far from perfect, but at least fans can find it on TV and make sense of what they’re watching.

With 20+ years experience in F1 it will be a no-brainer for Stroll. No other car maker can justify a top tier WEC program AND Formula 1 - Stroll will conclude that, like Ferrari, Aston Martin is already well represented in the GT classes.

[Juntos]

Originally Posted by Columbus

Aston Martin's WEC Hypercar will be the first casualty of new finance/management structure. New Executive Chairman Stroll is an established Formula 1 guy with a portfolio of luxury brands to promote - he's not going to dilute the F1 budget to race in a class with no competition (2 LMP1 teams at CoTA 2020, 2 manufacturers signed up for Hypercar!) and no audience.

Beyond that, the future looks tough for cash-strapped AM. Costs have forced it to mothball electric car development and pin its survival on an old school SUV with a borrowed Benz V8 - just as the UK government announced it plans to outlaw new internal combustion car sales in 15 years.

You just forgot that WEC GTE programme will likely go bust too. No point to throw money in a category with 6 cars.

[TF110]

Originally Posted by Columbus

Not much evidence of SMART financial planning at Aston Martin lately - their bold second century product plan wiped 75% off the company’s stock value! Fossil-fuelled cars are over. The future is electric and AM is already trailing its high-end sports car rivals by a decade.

If Stroll has any sense (I can think of 2.6 billion reasons that suggest he has) he’ll spend wisely and promote Aston Martin alongside his other luxury brands in the motor racing championship with the largest global audience - Formula 1.

He won’t be the first car company boss to choose F1 over WEC and he won’t be the last. The ACO’s unfathomable meddling has driven manufacturers away from top tier sports car racing and fans have followed. F1 is very far from perfect, but at least fans can find it on TV and make sense of what they’re watching.

With 20+ years experience in F1 it will be a no-brainer for Stroll. No other car maker can justify a top tier WEC program AND Formula 1 - Stroll will conclude that, like Ferrari, Aston Martin is already well represented in the GT classes.

I'm sorry, what? Electric cars are still a niche. Aston Martin is a niche product on its own. Selling electric cars for them is a no go. They don't have the finances to invest in that anyway. Maybe when they get their stuff together they can please the green crowd but for now they have to get their own house in order. I don't think the gte program is on the chopping block nor the hypercar either. I bet someone buys a couple and races in the new season. R-motorsport perhaps.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by TF110

I'm sorry, what? Electric cars are still a niche. Aston Martin is a niche product on its own. Selling electric cars for them is a no go. They don't have the finances to invest in that anyway. Maybe when they get their stuff together they can please the green crowd but for now they have to get their own house in order. I don't think the gte program is on the chopping block nor the hypercar either. I bet someone buys a couple and races in the new season. R-motorsport perhaps.

No, haven't you heard. Petrol cars will be banned and electric cars cost nothing to build. Oh wait, Tesla only makes money by buying credits from other companies to balance their EPA books. Otherwise a few estimates have said double the costs, if not more. But I believe for 10 years I've heard no one will build new petrol engines, no one will build new trucks, no one will build large vehicles. Oh wait, Ford will no longer make cars, multiple new petrol engines have been released in the last 2 years and cars only get bigger.

Yes, there will be electric options but to say petrol is gone? Foolhardy at best and delusional at worst.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

No, haven't you heard. Petrol cars will be banned and electric cars cost nothing to build. Oh wait, Tesla only makes money by buying credits from other companies to balance their EPA books. Otherwise a few estimates have said double the costs, if not more. But I believe for 10 years I've heard no one will build new petrol engines, no one will build new trucks, no one will build large vehicles. Oh wait, Ford will no longer make cars, multiple new petrol engines have been released in the last 2 years and cars only get bigger.

Yes, there will be electric options but to say petrol is gone? Foolhardy at best and delusional at worst.

Realistic or not, New petrol and diesel cars are banned in the UK from 2035 onwards

The future is electric/ hydrogen, it’s just a matter of when, and I agree there is plenty of development to be done by OEM’s on petrol engines before then

It is however probably a little short for AM to stop thinking about Electric

At least tell people you are headed that way


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RL17]

Lagonda has been selected as pure electric- but it's aimed more upmarket than AM so volumes would be low anyway.

It's not been dropped just kicked back in the grass for a year or two.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by RL17

Lagonda has been selected as pure electric- but it's aimed more upmarket than AM so volumes would be low anyway. It's not been dropped just kicked back in the grass for a year or two.

2025 to be exact! Manufacturers are now going to be fined per vehicle for not meeting average emissions figures, so with a big figure low volume luxury car, maybe easier just to up the retail price to compensate.....?

I’m sure AM haven’t stopped thinking about electric, it’s just that survival is more immediate!

[TF110]

I just hope that they continue racing sportscars. I don't think Stroll is a guy who is solely focused on f1 for their racing. He should know that the gt3 is a business selling cars.