"Terrifying"

Aston Martin launches brand new twelve-cylinder engine

Bucking every current trend, British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin is not only launching a new combustion engine on the market, but one with twelve cylinders. The marketing department in Gaydon speaks of a "brand new, fearsome V12 engine that shifts the parameters in the ultra-luxury segment".

It is not only a showpiece of the extraordinary skills of Aston Martin's engineers, but also a tireless advocate of the emotional connection experienced by all those who embark on a pulse-pounding drive with it and its instinctive power delivery.

In sober terms: 835 hp and 1000 Newton meters. During the redesign, "every working process of the combustion process was refined", making the engine not only particularly powerful, but also efficient.

The technical highlights of the new V12 include a reinforced cylinder block and connecting rods, redesigned cylinder heads with reprofiled camshafts and new intake and exhaust ports. Repositioned spark plugs and new injection nozzles with a higher flow rate improve combustion. In addition, new turbochargers with a higher speed and lower moment of inertia ensure improved performance and throttle response.

"The V12 has long been seen as a mark of power and prestige, but it is also a testament to the passion and technical skill of the engineers. This unparalleled engine heralds the dawn of a new, stunning era of V12 power units at Aston Martin," says Roberto Fedeli, Chief Technical Officer of Aston Martin.

The new V12 engine is to be hand-built in strictly limited numbers this year and will be used in the British company's most exclusive, limited edition models - for the first time in a new flagship model to be presented later this year.

Economic problems
Aston Martin slipped deeper into the red than expected at the start of the year. In the first quarter, the pre-tax loss almost doubled to 111 million pounds (130 million euros), compared to 57 million pounds in the previous year.

The result was therefore even worse than analysts had feared, who had expected a loss of 93 million pounds. The company spoke of a transitional phase in the restructuring of the model range.

Aston Martin launched several new models on the market last year and stopped production of older model series. Over the course of the year, the company plans to ramp up production of new models. "Our performance in the first quarter reflects the expected transition phase," said Group CEO Lawrence Stroll.