Aston Martin CEO, Andy Palmer, who is an ex-product chief from Nissan, revealed details regarding the future strategies to be adopted by the company regarding the upcoming DB11 and DBX Crossover.
In a discussion held during the Goodwood Revival event, the CEO openly shared his thoughts about Aston Martin’s future strategies and plans.
In the Goodwood Revival event, the company was launching the Assured Provenance Program, a strategic bid to bolster confidence among the owners of vintage Astons by reassuring them about the value of their vehicles. This program also included information regarding upcoming events, launches and expectations.
The most pertinent question was how similar would the new Astons be to the DB10 to be featured in the upcoming Bond film, Spectre. The CEO confirmed that despite the resemblance in names, the DB10 is a precursor to the next Vantage rather than to the DB11. However, he said that a strong family resemblance is definitely imminent.
He added, ‘You’ll see the DNA for sure. It’s not the same – the DB10 was done exclusively for Bond’. However, he confirmed that the ‘predator’ profile of DB10 will feature in all future productions. Yet, he said, the difference would be so evident that even his mother would be able to tell.
CEO Palmer also confirmed that the company will commence production of the DBX electric crossover, which Aston debuted at the Geneva auto show this year, in 2019, although the place of production is yet to be ascertained.
While the place of production would depend on grants and other critical logistics, he reaffirmed he is a business person and he will ensure that the program is funded properly. However, he hoped that the production of all cars from Aston Martin will remain within the UK.
Daimler, being a stake-holder in Aston Martin, is likely to share its architecture; but the company intends to remain loyal to its signature aluminum construction. The DBX crossover is expected to emerge as a market leader in the SUV segment, the CEO added.
While he also confirmed that the number of units for the DBX crossover will be in the range of 4000-5000, the actual figure will depend on other vehicles such as the Bentley Bentayga, the Maserati, the Rolls-Royce and the Lamborghini. He added that irrespective of the size of the market, Astons will remain in the upper end of it and to ensure exclusivity, the number of units could be restricted.
