It is no longer a mystery that Mercedes->ke187-AMG->ke8 is in cahoots with Aston Martin->ke13, but the link will be subtle and we will not see Astons cruising the roads with AMG badges any time soon -- or ever for that matter. Things become rather interesting when we start talking about the rumored production of the Aston Martin Lagonda SUV. The only real reason that Aston has put off the Lagonda, which the company showed off in 2009 at the Geneva Auto Show, is because the British sports car builder didn't have a suitable platform for it.
With Mercedes now working with Aston Martin, the former has access to several SUV->ke145 platforms to sit the Lagonda atop. In fact, Dieter Zetsche, the head of Mercedes-Benz, made it clear to Autocar that he is open to sharing the GL-Class->ke402 platform with Aston Martin.
That really strikes us as odd, as the deal was initially only supposed to include electronics and a few bespoke V-8 engines. Now the deal is suddenly showing the potential to include an entire platform; so, how long until Mercedes backs off its AMG-badge stance and starts sharing that with Aston?
Hey, we can dream, right?
Click past the jump to read more about the future Lagonda SUV.
The Aston Martin Lagonda showed its face at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, and has since experienced quite the roller coaster ride. Unlike the Bentley SUV, whose styling was the main issue for its delay, the Lagonda's issue was that Aston simply did not have a platform to build it on.
Changes are that the Lagonda will share the GL-Class platform with Mercedes -- the concept was actually built on that platform -- and it will also likely house an AMG-built V-8. Look for the Lagonda to hit showrooms sometime in 2016.