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Aston Martin wants to get involved in F1 engines

LONDON — British luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin is looking to get more engaged in Formula One, chief executive Andy Palmer said on Sunday amid speculation of a title partnership with Red Bull and future engine involvement. "We want to be more involved in the sport," Palmer told Britain's Channel 4 television while attending the Singapore Grand Prix. "We're currently studying the 2021 engine. If we get a reasonable regulation that brings down the cost of the engine, Aston would like to be involved in the engine," added the Briton. "And then of course we'd like to be involved a little more next season and then join the dots. But it really depends on what happens with the engine regs." Red Bull and Aston Martin have an existing relationship, with the team's race cars carrying branding for the marque since last year. Top designer Adrian Newey, whose Renault-powered Red Bull race cars won four successive drivers' and constructors' titles between 2010-13, has worked with Aston Martin on the AM-RB 001 Valkyrie 'hypercar'. Media reports have suggested Aston could become Red Bull's title sponsor next season. Former Nissan executive Palmer was a key figure in negotiating just such a previous deal for the Japanese manufacturer's Infiniti brand, which has now gone to the Renault works team, to partner Red Bull. The British-based team currently use Renault engines, branded Tag Heuer. Formula One, under new management since U.S.-based Liberty Media took over in January, and the governing FIA are looking at what sort of unit will power the series once the current agreement expires in 2020. The aim is to bring down costs and allow a cheaper and less complex engine than the current 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid power units, one that could also encourage new manufacturers into the sport. Aston Martin, a 104-year-old firm whose road cars have become closely associated with fictional British secret agent James Bond, last competed in Formula One in 1960. The company is now owned mainly by Kuwaiti and Italian investors and is seeking to boost its share of U.S. markets. Last month Aston reported its first half-yearly profit in almost a decade and it expects full-year volumes to rise by around a third to roughly 5,000 cars. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: Motorsports Aston Martin Renault Technology Emerging Technologies Racing Vehicles F1 adrian newey

Aston Martin to keep V12 alongside new AMG V8

Aston Martin is embarking on a brave new future. After thirteen years basing the bulk of its lineup on the VH architecture, Aston is developing a new platform, and is partnering with Mercedes-AMG to develop a new V8 engine and electronic systems. But what will happen to the old platform and engines once the new ones arrive? You might think that they'd be retired, but that won't necessarily be the case. At least as far as the AM11 V12 engine goes. The 6.0-liter engine was developed by Cosworth, based on a Ford block, and first appeared on the DB7 Vantage way back in 1999, but still powers everything Aston offers, save the V8 Vantage. It's evolved heavily over the past decade and a half, rising in output from 420 horsepower to 565, but Aston is one of the only British automakers still offering a V12 these days (Jaguar no longer does, Bentley's is actually a W12 and while Rolls-Royce does, its vehicles are mostly of a decidedly more sedate nature), and will surely want to carry on that legacy. That's why Aston spokesman Matthew Clarke revealed in correspondence with Autoblog, "Our 6.0-liter V12 engine will remain, with ongoing development, at the heart of a number of our flagship models for the foreseeable future," long after the new engine being developed with Mercedes arrives. Just which models will receive the new eight-cylinder engine and which will keep the twelve remains to be seen, but we get the feeling Aston's eight-cylinder range will broaden to include more than just the Vantage. As for the VH architecture, you can expect it to sail off into the proverbial sunset once the new platform is ready, though we wouldn't be surprised to see it phased out more gradually than abruptly. A 13-year tradition doesn't end overnight, after all.

Woman wins Aston Martin during Price is Right Dream Car Week

If you need a quick shot of happiness to warm your day, watch this clip of a woman's reaction as she wins a $120,000-Aston Martin V8 Vantage on The Price is Right. The show doesn't usually give such high-dollar vehicles, but this is Dream Car Week, which considerably increases our interest in the prizes. This wedding photographer plays Spelling Bee where the goal is to pick the letters for "car" or win immediately with one of the cards that displays "Car." Skip to 3:38 into the video to dispense with her choosing the prices of items and get straight to the heart of the game. Host Drew Carey tries to convince the woman not to play with the offer of $25,000 cash, but she presses forward. That was a great decision, and the woman goes wild about winning the British sports car. It's wonderful to see someone so excited about getting such a fantastic prize. We hope she really enjoys driving her new Aston Martin. Related Video: