Soon, Daimler’s portfolio—which includes brands as diverse as Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Maybach, Freightliner, and Thomas Built Buses—could be expanded with two highly prestigious nameplates.
Daimler is weighing the purchase of British sports-car-maker Aston Martin and Italian sports-bike manufacturer MV Agusta. No decision has been made, but both projects are currently under consideration.
Aston Martin and Daimler entered a partnership last year that will provide the British brand with much-needed technology for its future products. The current Aston lineup uses the aging VH platform and somewhat outdated V-8 and V-12 engines. Daimler currently owns 5 percent of Aston Martin. Technologically, Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG will be intertwined with the next generation of vehicles. However, there is no current cooperation between design and other departments. If Daimler takes over, we expect a much closer alignment of the Mercedes-AMG and Aston Martin lineups. Cautionary voices within Daimler warn of the risks of a takeover, but others at the company consider Aston Martin a jewel that should be added to the portfolio. There is a 50-50 likelihood that things will move forward.
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In the case of MV Agusta, there is consensus that a purchase by Daimler will occur. Compared with the price tag for taking over Aston Martin, obtaining a decisive share in the prestigious motorcycle brand will be a relatively minor investment. What’s more, it would alleviate the pain inflicted by rival Audi’s acquisition of Ducati; before becoming part of the Volkswagen Group, Ducati had partnered with AMG.
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