Aston Martin V12 2010 News

A widely varied field from the soft-roader Audi Q5 to the baby Volkswagen Polo is competing for the biggest prize in world motoring

The Chevrolet Camaro might be built and sold in the USA, but it was designed, developed, tested and approved down under as a spin-off from the VE Commodore. It is named this week among the 31 finalists for the World COTY (see gallery above for full shortlist), and will be judged by a global panel of 60 motoring journalists before the winner is named at the New York Auto Show in April next year.The finalists carry badges from Audi to Toyota and are as diverse as the latest green-power Honda Insight and Toyota Prius to the super luxury Porsche Panamera."The list came from the manufacturers, who sent us their eligible cars for the year. There may be one or two more yet, because a couple of companies might have some extra models before the end of the year," says WCOTY co-chairman, Peter Lyon. "For example, there is the Mercedes SLS Gullwing. We don't know yet when it will go on sale."Apart from the World COTY contest, the same judging panel also decides the World Performance Car of the Year (see gallery), World Green Car of the Year and World Car Design of the year.So far there are 18 potential winners in the performance category, from the Aston Martin V12 Vantage to the Renault Clio 3 Renault Sport. Judging on all fronts now advances to the semi-finals, three cars in each case, which will be named at the Geneva Motor Show at the start of March. Then it is over to the judges to drive, assess and vote."This year we have 60 judges altogether. We've capped at that number, after adding a couple of new judges this year," says Lyon. "Originally we had about 44 judges. But 60 is the basic number of the North American, European and Japanese COTY awards and that seemed like the right number.""We've got judges now for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. We've basically covered 25 or 26 countries, from Australia to Russia and everywhere between."Lyon says the basics of the award have not changed for the sixth judging and he makes no apologies for the list of contenders. "The German and Japanese cars are romping it in again. It's basically a reflection of the quality of car manufacturing today. The Japanese and Germans are making the best cars in the world, full stop," he says."But we think, of all the Car of the Year awards, this is the most natural. There is no pressure on any of the judges. They just vote for the best cars as they see them in their countries." 

Muscular motors from the madcap AMG division of Mercedes-Benz could find a home at Aston Martin as the British brand searches for new partners following its divorce from Ford.Aston still has an engine deal with Ford which provides the power for its current V8 and V12 sports cars, but is already researching new directions for the time after the blue-oval contract expires in 2012.It will not talk officially about any potential partners, and Aston chiefs from managing director Dr Ulrich Bez down say they are happy with Ford, but future regulation changes could force a new approach.Daimler has already emerged as a potential partner thanks to its work on fuel-efficient powerplants suitable for sports cars. They are vital for the next-generation AMG models as Mercedes works to cut fuel use and C02 production without losing the performance edge for cars which are currently mostly powered by 6.2-litre V8s.The upcoming Benz motors have appeal, but Aston Martin's director of product development, Ian Minards, says nothing is a foregone conclusion.He admits Aston will need a partner, but emphasises the need for powerplants — and a range of other components — which still reflect the British brand's history and products.“We don't have the expertise to do all our own development, but I know where to go to get it,” Minards says.“Our objective is to be best in class. With Aston Martin products.”He talks in general terms about engines, gearboxes and even suspension systems as areas where Aston is talking with potential partners outside the Ford empire. And he says the company has hosted a lot more visits, including one recently from Bosche, since the American giant sold the company to a private consortium led by British businessman David Richards.“A lot more people seem keen to talk with us now,” Minards says.And he emphasises the work that has gone into the Aston engines, even under Ford.“When we started the V12 was a Ford Duratec and the V8 was from Jaguar. I'd like to think that now these are Aston Martin powerplants,” he says.“The basic architecture is the same, but all of the details are Aston.“The engines are still built for us by Ford in Germany. The engine area was something they held onto after the split in ownership.”He says the latest 4.7-litre Aston V8, just fitted to a mildly reworked Vantage, shows the development done by the company.“We have done a lot of work. We have come a long way.“We are now down to 333 grams of C02 per kilometre, which is about what you would expect.” FORDING AHEADTalk of a new engine partner at Aston Martin is brushed aside by company chairman, David Richards.The longtime Aston owner, and boss of the Prodrive motoring and motorsport empire, tells carsguide at the Nurburgring in Germany there are many potential partners for future technology.“We have talk to everybody at the moment about engines. We have to decide the best direction,” Richards says.“But we still have engines from Ford until 2012.”He admits it is the same with all sorts of future development plans.But he refuses to discuss a potential deal to take Mercedes-Benz engines, or rumours that Daimler of Germany could eventually take control of Aston Martin.“The company is not for sale,” Richards says sharply.