Is £500 million enough for Aston Martin?

 

 

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The company operates its headquarters in Gaydon, England.

© photo courtesy of: Aston Martin

It sounds like an awful lot of money doesn’t it? Half a billion pounds…that should bring Aston MartinAston MartinUnited Kingdom, 1914 > present62 models
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into the second decade of the 21st century shouldn’t it?

There are two aspects to address here, the size of the cash injection and how far Aston Martin is actually behind.

So, firstly what does Aston Martin need to improve? How good are its cars at the moment? Despite the English press regularly eulogizing about the latest iteration of the now generically styled V12 behemoths the truth of the matter is that its model range is catastrophically outdated. So, it needs to improve an awful lot indeed.

Let me justify my comments for a minute as a few of you will be saying “but Jeremy Clarkson said the DB9Aston Martin DB9United Kingdom, 2003 > present25 versions
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is brilliant!” Well, the cars are certainly attractive, there is no denying that. But the design is ancient now, and, the customers are getting bored (see second generation Bentley GTBentley Continental GT (modern) Gen.2United Kingdom, 2011 > present34 versions
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sales figures as a comparison). They have moved onto the next big thing in their droves. The VirageAston Martin Virage (modern)United Kingdom, 2011 > present3 versions
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was a case in point, it simply papered over the cracks…not being different enough to get people to change and not bringing any new customers through the dealership doors either.

The V12 feels old now as well. There are a few modern V8’s now that are more free revving and produce a more exciting noise with less emissions, while FerrariFerrariItaly, 1947 > present233 models
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in particular has moved the V12 game forward too. Aston’s V12 feels wheezy at the top end and isn’t that powerful now either. Meanwhile, the VantageAston Martin Vantage (modern) Gen.1United Kingdom, 2005 > present61 versions
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’s V8 isn’t that powerful anymore, lacks a double clutch gearbox to transmit the power to the wheels smoothly and is equally rubbish in the Co2 department.

Then you get to the interior. Pretty? Yep, it’s quite attractive, but it feels poorly made today and the navigation unit is little short of a joke when compared to…well, anything else.

I could go on, but where would I stop? They’re not bad cars but they are bloody old.

(If you need convincing of the above just go and drive a new Porsche 911Porsche 911 Gen.6 [991 Series]Germany, 2011 > present110 versions
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or try a modern sat nav unit…you’ll get the idea.)

So, how much is £500 million – especially when we view it in relation to replacing an entire model range? It’s probably enough, but only just about. Aston Martin is a bit lucky really, the FordFordUnited Kingdom, 1909 > present33 models
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legacy was a really smart factory at Gaydon, so that won’t need the level of investment that McLarenMcLarenUnited Kingdom, 1963 > present92 models
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needed to start producing its 12CMcLaren MP4-12CUnited Kingdom, 2009 > present15 versions
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. But, then again, the cost of developing a new BMW 3 SeriesBMW 3 SeriesGermany, 1975 > present6 series
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is the thick end of £1 billion, so it’s not that much is it?

Aston needs to replace the Vantage, the DB9 and maybe produce an all-new LagondaAston Martin Lagonda Gen.1United Kingdom, 1974 > 19903 versions
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with the money - in much the same way as PorschePorscheGermany, 1931 > present43 models
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’s fortunes were changed by the CayennePorsche CayenneGermany, 2002 > present3 series
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, or BentleyBentleyUnited Kingdom, 1919 > present37 models
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has realized the need for a 4X4 – so £500 million divided by 3 in that context doesn’t sound like that much after all.

Even with that kind of cash available Aston will need to invest very wisely indeed. It’ll need to offer customers a completely fresh design, better reliability and a vastly improved interior. It’ll be tight and it could be not only its best chance of survival as an independent company, but its only chance.