Aston Martin CEO: Alabama is the ‘obvious choice’ for a massive new plant

—

May 20, 2015

VANCE, Ala. — Is another luxury automaker coming to the Yellowhammer State? We just got another clue that it might happen, with Aston Martin’s CEO telling Automotive News Europe that Alabama is the “obvious choice” for the brand that makes cars for James Bond.

While the final decision hasn’t been made, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said the company prefers an Alabama location because it would be close the Mercedes operations run by part-owner Daimler AG. The location could give Aston Martin significant logistical and cost advantages.

Currently all Aston Martins, about 4,000 a year, are built in a plant in central England. The plans for the new factory would ramp up their production to approximately 15,000 new cars annually.

It is rumored that the brand-new all-electric crossover DBX (concept pictured above) would be built at the Alabama plant.

While Alabama officials have declined to comment on whether or not the state his been in talks with the luxury automaker, a source with knowledge of Alabama’s economic development efforts told Yellowhammer on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press that the state had been working on a deal to attract Aston Martin, but said it was too early to speculate whether it would be successful.

“The state just really has a lot going for it right now when it comes to the automotive industry,” the source said. “A handful of states can compete with Alabama’s pro-business tax and regulatory climate, but I’m not sure anyone can compete with our existing auto infrastructure. It’s important to remember that when a Mercedes or Honda or Hyundai come in, their suppliers come with them. Already having that in place, especially considering the Aston Martin-Mercedes relationship, gives Alabama a huge head start on the competition.”

Aston Martin was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford and rose to international pop culture acclaim when Sean Connery’s James Bond first drove an Aston Martin DB5 in the 1964 hit Goldfinger. Aston Martin cars currently retail for between $120,000 and $200,000.