Aston Martin will not take the step towards hybrid engines

These are times of new environmental regulations and new consumption figures in almost every country in Europe and America, times when brands must once again rethink how they manage fuel and emissions for many of their engines. One of the solutions lies in hybrid engines, already used by some sports car and ultra-luxury brands such as Ferrari.

If the move to hybrid engines has been one of the concerns of Ferrari, it will not be for large saloon and coupé makers such as Aston Martin. However, the British brand has no interest whatsoever in fitting hybrid engines to any of its models, according to Ulrich Bez. The brand has already had its first experiences with a hybrid car, together with Bosch, resulting in a plug-in DB9 (photo).

The brand’s secret for future models is not to venture into hybrid powertrains, but to continue relying on powerful V12 engines. Of course, to do so they will have to optimise those engines to the extreme, so that they can meet consumption figures that fall within what is acceptable under environmental regulations. Despite what this implies in terms of costs and research and development, Aston Martin is prepared to carry out the task.

However, Bez has acknowledged that there is a limit that must eventually be reached. Perhaps in the coming years, brands such as Aston Martin will be forced to take the step towards hybrid engines. The brand’s CEO considers a period of five years before offering its first hybrid engine. The brand can afford to wait a little longer: its customers will care little about consumption, while development costs can be passed on to the eccentric final price of this type of vehicle.

Via | Drive