Aston Martin is rebuilding itself as a super-premium brand, but there’s no room for a sedan in its line-up
Aston Martin has big plans, but a sedan to take on the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley is not in them.
Rebuilding under the ownership of ‘brand meister’ and magnate Lawrence Stroll, the storied British brand will launch four new cars in the next 18 months – but a four-door sedan won’t be among them.
carsales drove the first of the next-generation Aston Martin models, the DB12 ‘Super Tourer’, in France this week.
The next ultra-luxury performance cab off the Aston rank is a re-imagined Vantage sports car. This will be followed by a V12-only replacement for the DBS and, some time in 2024, the Valhalla (pictured) mid-engined Ferrari and McLaren fighter.
Aston Martin Valhalla
But despite the brand’s stated intention to be “world’s most desirable, ultra-luxury British performance brand” there are no plans for the most premium of body styles – a three-box four-door.
The no-sedan edict was confirmed by a number of Aston Martin sources, including the car-maker’s Head of Product and Market Strategy, Alex Long.
“Definitely no sedan,” Long told carsales, adding that Aston is setting “lofty objectives”.
Aston Martin DB12
“We have a very bold objective to create the world’s most desirable, ultra-luxury British performance brand. We’re setting very lofty objectives, specifically for each [vehicle] program but also overall for the brand.
“And there’s a big step change – in the confidence that’s behind the company now, but also in the way the company is resourced.”
Aston insiders say the business case for a sedan doesn’t stack up, and that the company’s cycle plan does not need a sedan to be successful.
Instead, while mid-engined hypercars like the Valhalla and Valkyrie – first deliveries of which commenced in late 2021 – will cater to high-performance lovers, the needs for an Aston to be “driven in, rather than drive” can be met by the brand’s sales success, the DBX SUV.
“I think if people think of Aston Martin, historically, [it is in] this area, the GT [grand tourer],” Long stated.
“But, of course, with the sports cars [like] Vantage through to luxury SUV with DBX, and the mid-engined cars, this is what makes a sustainable luxury business.
“We [now] have the ability to ride different trends and waves and also the life cycles of all the cars as they come and go,” Long stated.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
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Keyword: No sedan in Aston Martin’s ultra-luxury future