‘ASTON IS A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME’
CAR’s European editor Georg Kacher quizzes Aston boss Tobias Moers
Q: How’s business?
A: ‘Can’t complain. The DBX is going strong, and I’m pleased with incoming orders for our sports cars. All models are in strong demand, and we have some fresh metal like the limited-edition V12 Vantage. The Vantage F1 has been a success, too.’
Q: What are you working on right now?
A: ‘We must improve the customer journey: make the user experience truly special. Our bespoke customisation department will grow, with revenues to match.’
Q: Tell us about your relationship with shareholder Lawrence Stroll. Are you best buddies or is he simply your boss?
A: ‘He is a hard-working, supportive and dedicated visionary. Our working relationship is focused and constructive.’
Q: Is sorting out Aston harder than you thought it’d be?
A: ‘You bet. Coming from Mercedes-AMG, Aston was a whole new ball game. I knew that beforehand, but when I arrived the promised turnaround was still in its infancy. The Vanquish and Valhalla [supercars] were in essence mildly advanced show cars with nearly zero production engineering spent on either of them. In terms of the much-talkedabout mid-engined sports-car project, the only tangible hardware was a couple of V6 concept engines; that was it. The EV programme was a fictitious and sketchy solitary Lagonda.
‘Although I came directly from AMG, my fellow countrymen didn’t do me any special favours. But they are nonetheless very supportive. We have a firm long-term agreement concerning the purchase of parts and knowhow, but that’s it.’
Q: Are you behind schedule?
A: ‘Covid, the supply chain and now war is throwing spanners in everyone’s works. But we are still going from strength to strength. We’ve collected deposits for the Valhalla, so it is now our obligation to deliver, and we will. Same goes for the Valkyrie, which is going to blow your mind.’
Q: One of the projects Stroll has been pushing hard since the day he arrived is the mid-engined Ferrari fighter, dubbed Vanquish for now but to be sold under a different name. How’s progress?
A: ‘It is on target. Derived from the Valhalla platform, it features a hybridised AMG V8 engine plus an electrified front axle for that unique Aston Martin touch in terms of power and torque delivery, and electric assistance. I won’t go into detail, but we are pulling out all the stops to make this car the new benchmark in terms of performance and handling.’
Q: What is going to happen to the DBS?
A: ‘Its replacement will mark the pinnacle of our GT portfolio.’
Q: When can we expect to see the first zero-emission Aston Martin?
A: ‘The DBX PHEV debuts next year. For 2025, we have pencilled in the launch of our first EV sports car. By 2030, the brand will be almost entirely electric.’
Q: How must a future electric Aston differ from its AMG counterpart?
A: ‘For a start, it must look and feel different and even more special. Hardcore electric sports cars require state-of-the-art cooling and packaging. The secret is in the mix, which will likely include floor and tunnel batteries.’