British luxury car maker to make decision soon
The 2015 Vanquish is equipped with the AM29 V12 engine. Reuters, an international news service, reported this week that a site in Alabama remains a finalist for a new Aston Martin auto plant.
Reuters, an international news service, reported this week that a site in Alabama remains a finalist for a new Aston Martin auto plant.
The report citing unidentified sources, indicated that other previously identified finalists for the British luxury automaker's new plant might have lost some appeal, but a site in Macedonia that was dropped from consideration earlier might be back in the running.
The source indicated the site in Macedonia a Balkan country that borders Greece is getting a new look after its government offered Aston Martin an enhanced package of incentives.
Aston Martin officials have said that incentives will play a role in its decision where to build the new plant.
The automaker began with a list of 19 possible locations several months ago then narrowed the list down to two British sites, a site somewhere in Alabama and a Middle Eastern location, Reuters and Automotive News previously reported.
The unclear situation in the Middle Eastern apparently has made that site less desirable, and Reuters quoted the source this week as saying a site in central England "was a leading contender but has dropped a few balls of late."
Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told British media last year that the company was looking at a site in Alabama because it wanted to be near the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa County.
Mercedes' parent company, Daimler AG, has a working relationship with Aston Martin. That might allow the British auto maker to tap Mercedes' technology, components and suppliers as it moves to increase its production.
The Alabama site has not been publicly identified. When asked about Aston Martin last month, Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield told The Tuscaloosa News that the state does not comment on active industrial recruitment projects.
Reuters source meanwhile said a decision on where to build the new plant is due to be made in the next few weeks.
Aston Martin made around 4,000 vehicles last year, but Palmer said the company wants to expand its models and sell around 15,000 luxury vehicles by 2020. To do that, it needs a second production plant, he said.
Source: tuscaloosanews.com
×
