Aston Martin unveils crossover coupe to target women buyers
The all-wheel-drive DBX concept debuted on Tuesday at the Geneva International Motor Show
Paris: Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd unveiled a crossover coupe as the British sports-car maker seeks to return to profit by appealing to women and buyers in emerging markets.
The all-wheel-drive DBX concept, which debuted on Tuesday at the Geneva International Motor Show, is equipped with electric motors and sports large wheels, narrow headlights and a gaping grille. While the car’s not ready for sale, Aston Martin plans to add a crossover in a departure from its lineup of sports coupes like the $280,000 Vanquish.
“The DBX Concept is more than a thought starter for us and for our customers," CEO Andy Palmer said. “We will, in due course, be entering a car into the new DBX space."
Aston Martin’s move is part of a surge in elite crossovers, as high-end brands respond to demand from wealthy consumers in China and other emerging markets, where sports cars are less popular.
Bentley will present the Bentayga later this year, which the British marque boasts will be the world’s most luxurious and expensive SUV. Maserati is finalizing the Levante, and Jaguar will start selling its first crossover, the F-PACE, in 2016. They’re all following Porsche, which now sells more SUVs than pure sports cars.
The expansion is also a key one for Aston Martin, which aims to boost sales to 7,000 vehicles a year by 2021 from about 4,000 now. But Palmer said the company doesn’t want more volume than that in order to protect its exclusivity. Bloomberg
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