What EV? New full fat Aston Martin V12 engine announced

► New Aston Martin V12 announced
► 823hp and 738lb ft of torque
► Set for new model debuting this year

If you told someone plucked out of the early 2010s that by 2024 we’ll be using artificial intelligence as a daily tool, we’ll have suffered through a global pandemic and flagship V12 engines will still be at the forefront of the hypercar paradigm, they’d probably find the last one hardest to believe.

Okay, maybe not. But it does seem remarkable that after many transitional years to electric power, V12 power units are still being designed and produced. Ferrari and Lambo have shown no signs of letting up, and now Aston Martin has declared its statement of intent by announcing a new V12.

Aston’s new engine, we’re told, is the product of a complete redesign. It’ll be turbocharged and produce 823bhp along with 1000Nm of torque, according to the manufacturer – that’s serious territory, though not one that the Gaydon-based company has shied away from with models like the Valkyrie on its CV.

‘The V12 engine has long been a symbol of power and prestige, but it is also a statement of engineering passion and technical prowess,’ Aston Martin Chief Technical Officer, Roberto Fedeli said.

‘With 835PS (328bhp) and 1000Nm (738lb ft) of torque this unparalleled engine represents nothing less than the dawn of a dazzling new V12 era for Aston Martin.”

Now, 823bhp is considerably less than is produced by the Valkyrie’s power unit – it has a total power output of a scarcely believable 1144bhp – but then it benefits from an electric motor to supplement the power. Aston hasn’t said whether its new V12 will or even can be paired up with some sort of electric motor.

What we do know is that the new unit uses reduced inertia turbochargers that Aston says should translate to better performance and a faster throttle response on the road, while the cylinder block and conrods have been strengthened along with the introduction of new exhaust ports and cylinder heads for an overall more robust unit.

Aston Martin has stayed pretty coy over this. The new V12 will ‘feature across Aston Martin’s most exclusive and limited availability models,’ we’re told, but it will be handcrafted in small