Next Aston Martin Vanquish to Get Souped-Up V-12

The next generation Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.'s flagship Vanquish sports coupe due in 2018 will be powered by a retuned version of the DB11’s new twin-turbo V-12 engine, Auto Express reports.

The 2017 DB11’s 5.2-liter turbocharged V-12 makes 600 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. But there is “significant headroom” to increase the engine’s output, company officials tell the U.K. enthusiast publication. They note that the engine has been tested at as high as 820 hp.

The current Vanquish delivers 567 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque from its 5.9-liter naturally-aspirated V-12. To maintain its position at the top of Aston Martin’s performance lineup, the next-generation Vanquish equipped with the twin-turbo V-12 likely will be tuned to produce at least 700 hp and possibly surpassing the Ferrari F12 tdf’s output of 730 hp, according to the Auto Express report.

Aston Martin says the new V-12 also is designed to be used with a future hybrid drivetrain. The company expects turbocharged engines and/or hybrid drivetrains to be used in most of its upcoming models.