Aston Martin has revealed that it will build a rival to the Ferrari 488. Speaking with Auto Express, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said that part of the brand's revival will include a rival to the latest mid-engined supercar from Maranello, in addition to the DBX crossover, new generations of the Vanquish and Vantage, and two Lagonda sedans.
"In 2019 we'll have DBX, then we'll have, for the sake of argument, let's call it a [Ferrari] 488 competitor. Then we have Lagonda, which is Lagonda One and Lagonda Two. Each car has a seven-year life, so in 2023 you have DB12," Palmer told Auto Express.
Aston Martin's rival to the Ferrari 488 will be the second mid-engine vehicle in its lineup after the Valkyrie, and it will follow the next-generation Vantage and Vanquish, which are both due sometime in late 2017 to 2018, and the DBX crossover that's been earmarked for a 2019 debut. The new mid-engine supercar will slot between the brand's GT cars, which include the DB11, Vanquish, and Vantage, and the ultra-exclusive Valkyrie hypercar.
"We have an obvious blind spot where the likes of the 488 sit," Palmer said, referring to the future car's price point.
The 2017 Ferrari 488 starts right around $250,000 for the coupe.
Although Palmer indicated that the car doesn't need to have a mid-engine layout, he indicated that it's easier to get 50/50 weight distribution with that configuration and that most of the cars in that price range place the engine behind the driver. Palmer also highlighted a new engineering process he calls "Carry Over Carry Across," which he revealed will allow the development work on the new mid-engine supercar to carry over to other models such as the DB11's successor, the DB12.
In this case, the engineering and technology work from the Valkyrie will carry over to Aston Martin's mid-engine Ferrari 488 rival. In addition to the seven core models, there will be variants such as the DB11 Volante convertible and an all-electric Rapide S, which is expected to use technology borrowed from Faraday Future. However, Palmer will likely tap into Aston Martin's partner, Williams, for its electric vehicle with rumors of Faraday Future's long-term viability in doubt. Additionally, two Lagonda sedans were hinted by Palmer as being potential candidates for full EVs with development work from the all-electric Rapide carrying over to those models plus the DBX.
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