Aston embarks on V6 era
3-litre hybrid will be troubled car maker’s most powerful engine
V8s AND V12s HAVE DEFINED MUCH of Aston Martin’s recent history, but that’s set to change from 2022 with a new V6 that will power the upcoming Valhalla supercar, plus a host of other models, both current and future.
The engine carries the internal code TM01
– a nod to Tadek Marek, the Aston Martin engineer who, in the 1950s and 1960s, was responsible for developing both the DBR2’s aluminium in-line six and the firm’s V8 engine. Current powertrain chief engineer Joerg Ross said that Aston wanted to create something befitting of Marek’s name, with ‘more freedom to explore and innovate’ with this project than the team has had for a long time.
Aston Martin hasn’t yet gone into depth on the technical specifications for the engine, but it has shed light on a few key details. The V6 will be 3 litres in capacity and its twin turbochargers will sit in a hot-V layout – much like those in the AMG-supplied V8 already used by Aston Martin.
Weighing sub-200kg, being dry-sumped and having a modest cylinder count, this lighter, more compact engine brings obvious packaging benefits, making it ideal for the Valhalla’s mid-engined layout. The hot-V arrangement sees a shorter, faster path for exhaust gases to travel for improved throttle response, and despite their name, hot-Vs also benefit cooling, with greater separation between the hot parts of the set-up and those that require cooler temperatures. The format puts the exhaust system, catalytic converters and turbine side of the turbos towards the back of the engine, with the intake plumbing and intercoolers nearer the front.
The powertrain will be electrified, something
Aston Martin says was incorporated from the outset and will help it meet emissions targets, with the company claiming Euro 7 compatibility. Both hybrid and plug-in hybrid systems will be used depending on application, while power and torque figures will also ‘be determined by the desired characteristics of each product it serves’. The company has confirmed it will be the most powerful engine in its range, implying future outputs that exceed the Valkyrie’s 1160bhp figure.
The new V6 probably isn’t at the forefront of Aston Martin’s mind at the moment though, as the company has opened a fresh £81million line of credit after warning it would not otherwise be able to satisfy its spending plans over the next 12 months.
Aston’s perennial financial struggles have been compounded in recent months, with shares dipping from £19 each at its IPO in October 2018 to around £2 since. Billionaire Lawrence Stroll agreed to buy a 16.7 per cent share in the firm in January, but this original agreement has now been rewritten to reflect the continued drop in the company’s value, increasing Stroll’s share to 25 per cent. The new V6, and the DBX SUV, can’t come soon enough.
OUTPUTS EXCEEDING THE VALKYRIE’S 1160BHP HAVE BEEN IMPLIED
BMW RECENTLY GAVE THE 5 SERIES a nip and tuck and it was only customary for them to do the same to their school-run-supercar, the M5. Like before, there are ‘standard’ and Competition trims on offer. Changes include styling tweaks, along with some tinkering under the surface.
On the outside, you get an updated (bigger) kidney grille, while the whole front apron has been tweaked and gets larger intakes. The headlights have been refreshed, as have the taillights. Jump in and you’ll see the larger 12.3inch central display and a new two-button setup to make it easier to jump into the powertrain, chassis and drive mode settings.
Under the hood however, nothing has changed. The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 still produces 591bhp in the M5, 616bhp in
Competition trim, and 750Nm of torque in both. Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission.
BMW has made a few tweaks under the skin too — the M5 Competition gets shock absorbers from the M8 Competition, and a retuned chassis. This, coupled with the new M Compound brakes, should make the new M5 Competition ever so slightly faster around a racetrack than its predecessor. While the changes seem small, they add up to make an already impressive piece of kit even better.