Just about every automaker is having second thoughts about going all in on EVs, either as a result of slow demand or pleas from enthusiasts to keep combustion alive. Aston Martin is among them, having announced last month that it has opted to delay its first EV from 2025 to 2027. Now, the automaker has further specified that combustion-powered cars are what its customers want, which means it will keep its V8 and V12 engines alive well beyond 2030. And yes, we said V12.

While speaking with Autocar, Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll said that buyers still want the "sounds and smells" of gas-powered cars, and as a result he believes that combustion power will never fully go away. While there is a market for EVs, it is a very small one, even at Aston's level, where customers use those cars for fun rather than as a daily driver. Stroll observed that "there is a lot more hype in EVs, politically driven or whatever, than consumer demand, particularly at an Aston Martin price point." The brand "will get there" with its first EV, but the original 2025 launch would not have worked.

But putting that delayed EV aside, the real news here is that Aston Martin is bringing the V12 back to life, even though it has previously asserted that the large-displacement engine was dead. It will, however, incorporate plug-in hybrid technology in future applications, and the V8 engine will experience the same treatment. The primary reason is to get around strictening emissions standards, though the extra push from the hybrid system will enable some additional power. Stroll says he'll keep gas cars on sale until they are fully banned.

This means rumors of Aston's upcoming DBS replacement packing a V12 are likely true, and it will probably incorporate that aforementioned PHEV setup. Like the outgoing model, the successor to the DBS will likely offer the smaller V8 as well. And this isn't the only new Aston planned for the near future, as the DBX is due for a refresh that will bring much-needed interior updates inspired by the latest DB12 and Vantage.

Image Credits: Aston Martin