Aston Martin originally expected to deliver 7,000 vehicles in 2023, which is a lower volume than Ferrari's 13,221 and Lamborghini's 10,112 deliveries. Aston Martin revised the aforementioned total to 6,700 units, but alas, a definitive number hasn't yet been provided by the Gaydon-based manufacturer.
Although there's a lot of catching up to do, the British automaker has decided to hire 400 people for manufacturing positions in the United Kingdom. During the Q3 2023 earnings call, the company informed shareholders of very strong demand across existing and new product lines. Think DBX707, the DB12, and the refreshed Vantage.
We also have to remember that Aston Martin further informed shareholders that Valhalla production will kick off sometime this year, most likely for the 2025 model year. Similar to the V12-powered Valkyrie, the V8-engined Valhalla will be made in Gaydon.
St Athan is best described as DBX central, with Aston Martin producing its first-ever sport utility vehicle in three distinct flavors: DBX, DBX707, and the China-exclusive DBX Straight-Six. The latter doesn't feature a hand-built AMG engine, but rather the M256 that rolled out in 2017 with the 222-series S 500 (for the US) and S 450 (for the EU).
Regarding the 400 manufacturing jobs, Manpower is the company that handles recruiting for the new roles commencing March 2024. For the time being, the recruiter's website lists 12 positions, beginning with body repair specialist in Gaydon. Interested peeps are presented with up to £47,618 per year (that would be $60,205 at current exchange rates), plus holidays, bonuses, and shift allowances for working unsociable hours or/and irregular shifts.
Photo: Aston Martin
The Gaydon facility in Warwickshire also needs a vehicle reworker (between £47,618.00 and £53,175.02 per year), an electrician (£47,618 – £53,175), a paint sprayer (£47,618.00 – £53,175.02- £53175.02 per year or £19.62 – £21.07 per hour), trimmers and sewers (up to £19.62 per hour), a prototype technician (up to £25.00 per hour), and a vehicle profiler (up to £39,881.70 per annum).
For the time being, Manpower lists four distinct roles for the St Athan facility in South Wales. A vehicle rectifier at the DBX's plant could earn up to £39,881.70 per year (plus overtime, bonuses, and shift allowances) or £16.79 – £21.97 per hour. A production technician can expect from £16.79 to £18.75 per hour, whereas a paint sprayer can look forward to anything between £16.79 and £24.10.
Aston Martin has been headed by Canadian businessman Lawrence Stroll since 2020. It was none other than Stroll who said enough is enough in regard to the Mercedes-Benz COMAND infotainment system of the DB11, Vantage, and DBX. The DB12 and revised Vantage both feature touchscreens, but alas, the DBX has yet to receive its mid-cycle refresh. During the Q3 2023 earnings call, Lawrence Stroll confirmed that the 2025 model year DBX is right around the corner.
Speaking to JP Morgan's Akshat Kacker, the big kahuna said: "On DBX the new infotainment, the new interiors will continue along the line of DB12 and will be in the marketplace in the near future."
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News