Hot on the heels of achieving 7,000 sales last year, Aston Martin’s stunning revival is set to continue with sales figure of 10,000 units being expected for 2010. Though there’s still uncertainty about the identity of the new owner, new models are already in the pipeline that would add more sales.
Aston Martin’s Rapide is a sure-bet for production, and the recent announcement of the V8 Vantage Roadster will also account for new sales conquests. Additionally, the limited-edition DBS will be entering production, and plans for a new Vanquish are being prepped for a 2010 introduction. At the moment, AM is selling 2,500 DB9s, 4,200 Vantages, and only 300 units of the V12 Vanquish (which is due to end production soon).
A recent report from Autocar magazine states that the problem isn’t selling cars, it’s how many Aston Martin can produce at its Gaydon factory. Aston Martin itself doubted it would be selling 7,000 cars and hasn’t prepared well enough for the expansion. The hold-up seems to be the alloy-tub assembly section, which is already at full production. The DB9, V8 Vantage, and the Rapide are all based off the same platform and are therefore all affected by the shortages.
Autocar’s article is projecting that AM will sell only 500 units of the Rapide and allow for the rest of the growth to come from the DBS (250 units) and the Vantage and DB9. This seems low, as the Rapide should be able to get conquest sales from Mercedes S-class and BMW 7-series buyers, as well as any extra sales from those that can’t wait to get the Panamera. The V8 Vantage Roadster, soon to go on sale, should also add more sales.