Aston Martin VH platform

{{short description|Aston Martin's automobile platform}}

{{Featured list}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}

File:Aston Martin DB9 coupe 02.jpg was the first car to use the VH platform.]]

The British carmaker Aston Martin developed the vertical–horizontal (VH) vehicle platform to serve as the basis of most of the mass-produced vehicles in its lineup manufactured between 2003 and 2016,{{NoteTag|This excludes the V12 Vanquish and DB11, the latter of which was manufactured from September 2016 and used an all-new platform{{cite web | last=Petrány | first=Máté | title=Why Aston Martin Replaced the DB11 V12 With the Hotter AMR After Twenty Months | website=Road & Track | date=17 May 2018 | url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a20730941/aston-martin-db11-amr-matt-becker/ | access-date=23 October 2024}}}} comprising the DB9, followed by the Vantage, DBS, Rapide and Vanquish. The limited-production Virage, DB10 and Lagonda Taraf also used this platform.

Ulrich Bez was appointed chief executive officer and chairman of Aston Martin in July 2000.{{sfn|Taylor|2024|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=GqfUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT202 202]}} At that time, the company had made significant investments in the V12 Vanquish's structural platform and determined that developing a separate platform for a single model would not be a prudent use of resources. In 2001, Bez initiated the development of a new versatile architecture intended to accompany automobiles of various sizes; most of the developments were done within that year.{{sfn|Taylor|2024|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=GqfUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT206 206]}} Aston Martin implemented modifications to enhance assembly efficiency, aiming for thirty minutes per unit, compared to the four hours required for the V12 Vanquish.{{sfn|Taylor|2024|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=GqfUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT207 207]}} The VH platform was developed to be flexible.{{cite web | last=Robinson | first=Peter | title=2005 Aston Martin DB9 GT | website=Car and Driver | date=1 June 2004 | url=https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15132795/aston-martin-db9-first-drive-review/ | access-date=23 October 2024}} Every vehicle that uses it incorporates bonded and riveted aluminium to reduce weight.{{cite web | last=Towler | first=Adam | title=The first and last Aston Martin Vanquish models go head-to-head | website=Evo | date=11 June 2020 | url=https://www.evo.co.uk/aston-martin/202727/aston-v-aston | access-date=23 October 2024}} The term "vertical" indicates that the platform can accommodate various applications and can be adjusted in size to meet the requirements of future models. The term "horizontal" signifies that components of the platform can be used across different models within the Aston Martin lineup.{{sfn|Taylor|2024|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=GqfUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT207 207]–[https://books.google.com/books?id=GqfUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT208 208]}}

The first vehicle to use the VH platform was the DB9, which constituted the platform's first generation. The Vantage, introduced in 2005, used the second generation of the platform, along with the DBS and DB10, introduced in 2007 and 2014, respectively. The third generation of the platform was used by the Virage in 2011, the 2012 facelift of the DB9 and the 2012 Vanquish. The Rapide and Lagonda Taraf used the fourth generation, an extended version of the platform.{{sfn|Taylor|2024|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=GqfUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT210 210]}}{{cite web | last=MacKenzie | first=Angus | title=2016 Lagonda Taraf: The $1 Million Hand-Built Aston Martin Sedan | website=Motor Trend | date=18 February 2016 | url=https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2016-lagonda-taraf-by-aston-martin-review/ | access-date=23 October 2024}} The cars have since been discontinued. The Virage and DBS both ended production in 2012,{{cite web | title=Aston Martin DBS (2007 | publisher=RAC Limited | date=27 July 2012 | url=https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/car-reviews/aston-martin/dbs/dbs-2007-2012/ | access-date=29 October 2024}}{{cite web | last=Stoklosa | first=Alexander | title=Aston Martin Dropping Virage from Lineup, Repositioning DB9 in its Wake | website=Car and Driver | date=5 September 2012 | url=https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a18733154/aston-martin-dropping-virage-from-lineup-repositioning-db9-in-its-wake/ | access-date=29 October 2024}} followed by the DB10 in 2015. The DB9 and Taraf were discontinued in 2016,{{cite web | last=Siler | first=Steve | title=2016 Aston Martin DB9 GT First Drive | website=Car and Driver | date=19 January 2016 | url=https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15102124/2016-aston-martin-db9-gt-first-drive-review/ | access-date=29 October 2024}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/autocars-top-five-new-car-reviews-19|title=Autocar's top five new car reviews|magazine=Autocar|date=12 February 2016|first=Hemal|last=Mistry|access-date=26 May 2024|archive-date=5 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205214643/https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/autocars-top-five-new-car-reviews-19|url-status=live}} while the Vantage and Vanquish ended production in 2018.{{cite web | last=Sorokanich | first=Bob | title=Someone Bought the Plans and Tooling for the Aston Martin Vanquish | website=Road & Track | date=25 October 2018 | url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/a24217111/aston-martin-vanquish-plans-and-tooling-sold/ | access-date=29 October 2024}}{{cite web | title=The Aston Martin V12 Vantage will return in 2022! | website=Top Gear | publisher=BBC | first=Vijay | last=Pattni | date=1 December 2021 | url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/aston-martin-v12-vantage-will-return-2022 | access-date=29 October 2024}} Production of the Rapide ended in 2020.