According to Autocar, Mercedes-Benz bigwig Dr. Dieter Zetsche has stated that he would be open to sharing the platform of the GL-Class with AMG’s new partner Aston Martin, which is planning to produce an SUV of its own in the next few years.
Zetsche recently said that the depth of the co-operation would depend on Aston Martin’s product plans, but that he would prefer if in-house tuning division AMG’s assistance with the new SUV is low-key – which means that there’ll likely be no visible sign of the link between the two companies.
Despite being shelved many times, Aston Martin chief Dr. Ulrich Bez confirmed last year that an SUV was still in the pipeline. And with AMG building bespoke engines for the Gaydon-based brand, as well as providing a wide range of componentry – there’s no indication that the partnership excludes the use of platforms.
The automotive world waited with bated breath as high-end brands such as Bentley and Lamborghini jumped onto the premium SUV bandwagon with the EXP 9F and Urus concepts of 2012, but Aston Martin’s Lagonda concept has been waiting in the wings since 2009.
With renewed interest and a new partner to help develop the Aston Martin SUV, we could see it debut as soon as 2017.
