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Mercedes to offer SL, GL platforms to Aston Martin?

The agonizingly slow courtship between Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz has been a regular topic of conversation ever since the 2009 Lagonda Concept debuted, riding on a Mercedes GL chassis. Beyond that one polarizing concept, though, nearly every other attempt to pair the two brands up in a major way has fallen through. Only the technical partnership between Mercedes and Aston for certain components from AMG, which was negotiated back in July, has held up so far.
That may finally be set to change, according to an excellent profile of the two brands' relationship from Automobile, which claims that two platforms will unite the Germans and Brits. The first tie up is, not surprisingly, a sports car.
As Aston Martin's VH platform - which underpins every car that comes out of Gaydon - continues to age, the pressure will well and truly be on Aston to find a next-gen replacement to underpin the successors to the Vantage, Vanquish, DB9 and Rapide. Automobile claims Mercedes has just such an architecture, in the form its new modular sports car platform. This new platform is slated for the next-generation SLK and SL and is still in its design infancy.

Henrik Fisker presents 'Thunderbolt,' a take on the Aston V12 Vanquish

Henrik Fisker's name no longer even appears on the vehicles from his former brand, but since leaving the company, the man is slowly transitioning back into what made him famous in the first place: design. Fisker has already put pen to paper for a concept motorcycle and a carbon-fiber-bodied Ford Mustang. For his latest project, Fisker has made his unofficial return to Aston Martin to create a one-take on the Vanquish called the Thunderbolt. Debuting its carbon fiber skin at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Fisker keeps his transformation of the Vanquish far more subdued than his recent work on the Mustang. He enlarges the grille to take up the entire front end but retains Aston Martin's traditional shape, and the hood receives a power dome with triangular air intakes on each side. In profile, this is still clearly an Aston just sharper and leaner. It's also lowered 0.6 inches and rides on 21-inch wheels. A big change comes at the back where Fisker adds wraparound rear glass and transforms the taillights into thin strips of LEDs. The interior offers a mix of high-end leather and more carbon fiber, plus an 11.6-inch Curved Control Screen from Panasonic. Unfortunately, even if you have the means and want to buy this Thunderbolt, it's not for sale. However, Galpin Aston Martin is taking limited orders for a tweaked version with a revised front end that includes different intakes on either side of the grille and without the Panasonic infotainment screen. As designer for the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, the Thunderbolt can be thought of as Fisker's return to the British brand, albeit in an unofficial and extremely limited way. Still, it's fascinating to get a glimpse at what the marque's models might look like, if he were still there. Related Video: HENRIK FISKER UNVEILS HIS LATEST DESIGN STUDY, A TIMELESS GT COUPE, AT 2015 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE One-Off V12 Vanquish-Based Coupe Features Carbon Fiber Coach-Work and World's First Panasonic Curved Screen Infotainment System Amelia Island, Florida (March 14, 2015) – Henrik Fisker today took the wraps off of his latest design study, the "Thunderbolt," at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Designed by Henrik Fisker as a powerful GT coupe; this is his personal interpretation of how his Aston Martin V12 Vanquish coupe could look like.

Aston Martin rules out going downmarket

When Aston Martin sat alongside Jaguar under the Ford umbrella, the two had to be careful not to step on each other's toes. That kept the top end of Jaguar's sports and GT lineup at bay, and in the years since they parted company, Jaguar has steadily moved up-market with new versions of the XK and now with the new F-Type. But does that mean Aston Martin will in turn start offering cheaper models? "No, not at this stage," Aston's US chief Julian Jenkins told AutoGuide.com. "If there is an opportunity that we can sit comfortably within we will go after it." But for the time being, the V8 Vantage will remain the brand's entry-level model, coming in just under the $100K mark in base Vantage GT trim. Enthusiasts will remember the Cygnet, a version of the Toyota/Scion iQ which Aston reskinned and sold to customers looking for a more compact, economical mode of transportation without skimping on luxury. But that model never made it to North America, and lasted only a few years before being discontinued in 2013. More recently, Aston branched into the four-door market, first with the Rapide and now with the Lagonda Taraf. The Lagonda Taraf is a four-door luxury sedan initially launched in the Persian Gulf, but under consideration for additional markets. The company has been on and off the fence regarding launching a crossover SUV like the Lagonda concept it showcased at the 2009 Geneva auto show to lukewarm reception. If Aston were to proceed with such plans, it would be up against the likes of the upcoming Jaguar F-Pace, Bentley Bentayga and Maserati Levante.