2008 Aston Martin Vantage 10,523 Miles 380hp 6-speed Leather Call Shaun on 2040-cars

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Aston Martin wants to be the Hermes of the car world

Aston Martin doesn't want its wealthy potential customers to perceive the brand as just another sports car maker. The company wants to transform those perceptions so that buyers see its products as luxury goods on par with high-end accessories. If this change can successfully bring in more cash, the business could consider an initial public offering in the coming years. "We seek to position ourselves as the automotive equivalent of Hermes, not as the counterpart of Ferrari." CEO Andy Palmer explained the change to Bloomberg, referencing the boutique French brand. The desire to change buyer impressions comes as Aston Martin pivots away from a focus predominantly on sports cars and more towards high-performance luxury vehicles. For example, the company already has sedans in the lineup like the Rapide and Lagonda Taraf. The future range will also reportedly include an electric Rapide and another Lagonda. The production version of the DBX crossover (concept above) will add one more segment around 2019. However, Aston Martin won't completely abandon coupes because the DB11 will arrive in 2016, and a new Vanquish and Vantage will eventually follow. For Aston Martin to have a future, Palmer believes the company needs to look in new directions, especially with models like the DBX. According to Bloomberg, execs there hope that appealing to more customers could help the business see a net profit in the next three years, which hasn't happened since 2010. To save even more money going forward, the business recently cut 15 percent of its workforce mostly from white collar employees. Featured Gallery Aston Martin DBX: Monterey 2015 View 16 Photos News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Aston Martin Crossover Luxury Performance Sedan aston martin rapide aston martin lagonda aston martin dbx

Aston Martin recalls 7,000+ vehicles over seat heaters

We've seen vehicles being recalled for all sorts of reasons: ignitions switching off, airbags inflating prematurely, brake lines leaking fluid... but this latest one from Aston Martin is for the seat heater. So what, rich folks won't be able to drive their Volantes with the roof down when it gets cold, you say? Tragic though that would surely be, we're afraid this problem lies at the opposite end of the spectrum: seat heaters that won't turn off. The danger that poses, according to the statement below from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is that the seats could start to smolder. And that doesn't sound like fun. The issue affects just about the entire Aston range, including the DB9, DBS, Virage, V8 Vantage and V12 Vantage, covering the 2006-2014 model years and manufactured between July 3, 2006 and November 5, 2014. That's pretty much everything Aston makes, save for the four-door Rapide, the newer Vanquish, the rare One-77 and the overseas-only Cygnet. So you'd figure that would add up to a lot of vehicles, and we suppose it does, considering the niche market in which Aston competes. All told, the recall affects an estimated 7,256 units across the United States, the owners of which will need to bring their luxury GTs into their local dealer to have an additional circuit module installed that will cut the power to the seat heaters in case the control module fails. Featured Gallery 2013 Aston Martin DB9: Review View 28 Photos News Source: National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Recalls Aston Martin Convertible Coupe Luxury Performance aston martin v8 vantage aston martin db9 aston martin v12 vantage seat heaters

Aston Martin announces $306M in funding to build DBX, 'other new luxury vehicles'

Aston Martin has just gotten one step closer to building a crossover, as the British outfit has secured a 200-million-pound (about $306 million at today's rates) infusion of capital from its leading shareholders. The money will allow Aston Martin to develop "a new vehicle based on the DBX concept," although just how closely the production model will adhere to the concept's styling is unclear. Andy Palmer, the company's CEO, also hinted at other models being added, thanks to the funds. "This additional long-term funding, will enable us to add extra model lines and broaden our presence in the luxury market segment by the end of the decade. The DBX concept has generated interest far beyond our expectations," Palmer said in the attached statement. "The additional investment announced today will allow us to realize the DBX and other new luxury vehicles that will form the strongest and most diverse portfolio in our history." It's unclear what these "other new luxury vehicles" will include. Previous reports have indicated a Lagonda-badged replacement for the aging Rapide will be added to the range, although considering the age of the rest of Aston Martin's lineup, it's a safe bet that at least some of this money will also be put towards vehicles beyond the new CUV and sedan. Scroll down for the full press release from Aston Martin. Related Video: ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA ISSUES GBP200 MILLION FUNDING FOR PRODUCT EXPANSION • Investindustrial and Tejara Capital led a further GBP200 million in investment capital in the form of preference shares • Enables production of DBX luxury crossover, building on range of iconic luxury sports cars • FY 2014 revenues of GBP468 million and adjusted EBITDA of GBP66 million announced 30 April 2015, Gaydon: Aston Martin Lagonda today announced that with the leadership of its major shareholders, it has arranged additional committed funding of GBP200 million, enabling the 102-year old luxury sports car manufacturer to develop significant new luxury models that will drive the future of the company under its strategic business plan. The additional capital investment comes in the form of GBP200 million of preference shares; GBP100 million of which were issued on 29 April 2015 with the remaining GBP100 million – already subscribed for - to be issued in the next twelve months, and will further expand the previously announced investment plan. This major investment in new luxury models is at the core of Aston Martin's strategic vision.