Alabama is the “obvious choice” for a new plant that will be primarily focused on building the upcoming DBX crossover, Aston Martin chief executive Andy Palmer told Automotive News.
The company hopes the DBX will eventually account for more than half of its worldwide sales volume, with most of the crossovers likely to be bought in the US and China. The company would have to establish a joint venture to build a factory in China, and it could be challenging to sell a built-in-China DBX in the US market.
Alabama already hosts assembly plants for Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota, with annual production numbers approaching one million units and worth $6.6 billion, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce.
The company recently rejected rumors that the DBX would be built upon a Mercedes-Benz platform. Both companies share other technologies such as engines, however, and proximity to Mercedes-Benz’ Alabama plant could be a selling point for an Aston Martin factory.
Palmer suggests the company is still considering building the DBX at its home factory in Gaydon. The move would require significant expansion as annual production volume ramps up from its current level of 4,000 and hits the sales target of 15,000 units by the end of the decade.
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