Aston Martin developing new straight-six in-house?

The six will likely be deployed as part of a hybrid powertrain.

Aston Martin will allegedly surf the downsizing and electrification waves as it weans itself off of Mercedes-AMG-sourced engines. The British firm is developing a brand-new straight-six engine in-house, according to a new report.

British magazine Autocar learned the deal that Aston Martin struck with Mercedes-AMG was merely a way to buy time as its engineers design the new six-cylinder. Though technical details remain few and far between, the six will be derived from the 5.2-liter V12 found in some of Aston's current models. It will not share any components with the straight-six that Mercedes-Benz is spreading across its line-up.

Going from a V8 to a straight-six will raise more than a few eyebrows in enthusiast circles, but the move is seemingly necessary for Aston to comply with ever-stricter emissions regulations in Europe and abroad. This explains why the straight-six will likely be deployed as part of a hybrid powertrain. It won't be a plug-in, though; standard or mild hybrid technology looks more likely.

Aston Martin will continue to use the twin-turbocharged V8 engine it buys from Mercedes-AMG in the coming years. Production of the straight-six won't begin until the early 2020s. It might be inaugurated by the upcoming DBX (pictured), an SUV that will be available with V8 and V12 power when it hits the market in 2020.