As Skyfall, the latest James Bond movie releases into theaters, Aston Martin — synonymous with 007’s 50 years on the silver screen — is reportedly for sale. The British luxury sports car manufacturer is currently owned by Investment Dar Co. by way of a 64 percent stake in the company. A price has not been named.
While other automakers, namely India’s Mahindra, have been named as potential suitors, nothing is finalized and talks were supposed to be still private. But we feel that General Motors could be a better owner of the iconic British automaker. It could not only learn a thing or two about how to build supercars by hand, but we could also see Aston Martin’s charms trickle down into brands like Cadillac as it continues to move upmarket. An Aston Martin V12 in an Omega Cadillac sounds pretty darn appealing to us, if you don’t mind infringing on either brand’s heritage a little.
That’s just our two cents. How would you feel if The General painted itself in British Racing Green? let us know by taking our poll, and explaining in the comments below.
Comments
Oh, in a strange and crazy world the answer would be yes. On Earth, however, the answer is a resounding ‘No’.
I mean what would be the point of GM buying Aston anyway? What, apart from the V12’s, does Aston have that would be of benefit to GM as a whole?
Also, if Cadillac is to be the upmost greatest luxury brand from GM, then what would Aston do to that idea? Hold a price cap on where Cadillac should end and Aston begins.
It’s a fine idea to play with in your head, but I hope GM isn’t putting any money anywhere but into their own R&D.
VWAG manages Bugatti, Bentley, and Lamborghini. BMW manages Rolls Royce. Fiat has Ferrari. They all seem to make it work. Granted GM has a tainted history of bastardizing and alienating brands (Saab), but there’s a chance it could work. Cadillac still has quite a ways to go before it can touch Aston Martin, if ever. But even with both brands on the same plane, they can succeed by remaining unique.
Maybe you’re right. But in this case I think that General Motors should go ahead and sit this one out, and maybe catch the next super-premium brand in need of a new parent. Trust me, there will be others…
GM has nothing to learn from Aston Martin. Nothing at all. Companies like that are money pits and GM can ill afford to be messing with them at a time like this. Its affiliation with Peugeot is yet to make any sense so I don’t see why another European brand would make any more sense as a partner. V12s are a waste of time anyway. It has been proven that the V8 is the most balanced that an engine can be, while still maintaining efficiency and power. If GM wants a 12 or a 16, I say…build it yourself!
Companies like that are money pits if they attempt to operate alone. Aston is the only brand of it’s kind not under the umbrella of a major auto company
As good as ‘new’ GM is, I still don’t think they are capable of being successful with such an endeavor.
Without looking into any facts, isn’t Aston’s engines all 8-10 years old (tweaks here and there, but the common design is a decade old), same goes for their chassis/ platform
There is a part of me that would love to see it happen, but I don’t know that it’s a wise idea. If we were rolling in dough maybe, but there doesn’t seem to be any real reason beyond “that would be freaking awesome”.
Still, pull a BMW and just buy the name and rights, then start it up later at our leisure.
I think GM should buy Aston. They need a company that is focused on performance. And imagine a corvette with a V12. GM could get alot good out of this.
Ford should buy Aston Martin, since evidently they like their style so much.
Ford did own Aston, along with Jag, Land Rover and Volvo they made up Ford’s ‘Premier Automotive Group’. I think Lincoln was included as well. They sold AM, Jag, LR in 2007ish and Volvo 2009
Ford had already owned Aston-Martin. I think it was 1988-2006, I forget. Neither Ford nor Lincoln had benefited from this. I would kill to see a rear-wheel drive V12 powered Lincoln again! But Ford neglected the hell out of Lincoln for some reason. Sorry for talking about Ford for so long, I’m a huge car guy who likes many brands and manufacturers, American, Asian, and European. As for GM buying Aston, I think it might work. I think it would also be really cool to see V12 powered Cadillacs again (Cadillac made V12s from 1931-1937). I don’t think that GM should gamble with Aston’s purchase at this time though. It would be cheaper to develop and build a V12 in house…… Preferably from scratch, and not by connecting two V6s together.
This is the silliest thing I have ever heard. Never mind what they did to Saab or that Aston Martin has nothing of benefit to GM. We often forget the other side of that latter statement, which is that the larger parent companies provide the smaller ones with platforms and engines, to capitalize on the prestigious names and make them more profitable. The Bentley Continental, for example, uses the same VW-engineered platform as the VW Phaeton, as well as the same VW-derived W12, and as of recently an Audi-derived V8. However it still embodies the Bentley brand values and has quickly become a superstar, making Bentley far more profitable than it would have been if it only made its exclusive sedan, coupe and convertible models. I can’t see GM doing this for Aston Martin. It can hardly get its own Cadillac luxury brand straightened out, what with the goofy SRX, stopgap XTS and wannabe-BMW ATS. Moreover the company is bleeding money in Europe. GM buying Aston Martin would be a disaster of the Hindenburg nature.
Toyota, on the other hand, is also a possible parent for Aston Martin. They already provide the Aston Martin Cygnet, which is just a thinly-disguised Toyota/Scion iQ. And they provide the basic components of Lotus’s powertrains, so it is proven that they can create something with a certain amount of performance capability. Toyota, in turn, needs to boost its sporty image, especially in regard to the Lexus brand. The Japanese company has a much greater chance of succeeding with Aston Martin than does GM.
GM has no business wasting time and money with Aston Martin. It’s a money pit and not a corporate fit. And I think Ford still retains a small ownership percentage, so I doubt a sale to GM would even be considered.
Aston Martin is, at best, a vanity project for a much bigger company. To grow, AM needs deep corporate pockets and a way to share engineering resources, platforms, engines, transmissions, etc. The best fit in the Automotive Universe is Mercedes-Benz as much can be shared and both play in the high end performance-luxury categories. It will give Mercedes a place at the table with Lamborghini (VW), Ferrari & Maserati (Fiat), etc.
Lotus is also in desperate need of a corporate parent with deep pockets. I could see Toyota buying Lotus as they already share engine technology. Toyota could afford to expand Lotus into more profitable segments.
I really think that they should that’s all Because it would allow more exotic ideas for GM to unleash their wild side more
No Aston Martin would be a better fit for Volkswagen. It is time for Bond James Bond to get a Silverado.
Doesn’t Ford still have a hefty stake in Aston Martin? This would make an odd collaboration…
The issue here is compromising funds for credibility. Does GM keep their money and develop their own luxury technology (with little experience) or do they throw money at Aston Martin so that Cadillac isn’t upscale Chevrolets, but rather a working man’s Aston Martin.
If GM was to buy Aston Martin, all that would happen would be a significant devaluation of the brand, by offering antiquated, OHV, cam-in-block powertrains coupled with cheap, plastic interiors and low build quality. If Aston Martin cannot stay afloat on their own due to the world’s severe economic downturn, let them fade away as what they are. Do not diminish their legacy by taking them back more than half a century in time and turning them into a Chevrolet or Buick. However, I’m saying all of this as a dedicated Corvette enthusiast, so don’t attack me for what I’ve said.
I’ll attack you claim of OHV being antiquated when an OHC Sunbeam racing engine predated the Olds Rocket V8 by 28 years.
What about slapping an LSX block in a Caddy..
The LSX is essentially the LS9, and the LSA in the CTS-V and ZL1 are basically an LS9 with smaller supercharger
No, fix Opel first.
I am familiar with the LS Series line, I own a couple.
Just saying the platform is available for making a GM luxury super car. The legacy has already been established, someone just has to take the step. Get someone like John Heiricky in the project and everything else should fall into place.
I think not, has the british figgered out there electrical problems yet, how about a wiring harness out of a cadillac might work better in the aston, where would it fit in the gm lineup, maybe cadi should make mid engine xlr instead, whoo another bad idea, NO
I would love that but it is always depending on the economic situation of the General and of Aston Martin.
There are so many factors to this equation. Acquiring Aston simply because of name is silly. With skillful marketing and R&D, GM can enter the market at the same or higher level as AM. You don’t need to purchase another brand to increase R&D, you need skilled people. It appears as Caddy is headed in a good direction. Let’s see what happens next. We (Americans) may have history of stumbling, but in the long run we endeavor and come out stronger.
If GM were to purchase AM, it has to make sense and return a decent return on investment. Can GM purchase AM for pennies on the dollar (I doubt it)? If yes, maybe. It has to make fiscal and marketing sense for a purchase.
In my opinion we need to improve GM overall. Let’s elevate it to the next level. Let’s make it so that people see Caddy at the same level as the European brands. Most importantly, we need get jobs for people. Let’s invest in ourselves and our nation first. Once we’ve built a strong foundation, let’s look elsewhere.
I think The General should bring Pontiac back.
The 01% already have lots of options, but what about the other 99%? What do we have? scion? stupid ulgy hyundai?… It’s just the awesome Dodge/ SRT and some Fords.
No Aston. Yes Excitement, PONTIAC.