Yesterday (10 July 2020) International Trade secretary Liz Truss visited the Port of Southampton to see Aston Martin’s first luxury SUV, the DBX, which will be shipped to the United States later this summer. This comes ahead of the third round of trade talks with the US expected in late July.
On her visit, Liz Truss discussed how the production of innovative British vehicles like the Aston Martin DBX will play a part in Britain’s economic recovery from coronavirus, and how a free trade agreement with the US can benefit the UK’s automotive industry.
With US consumers being major buyers of luxury British cars like Aston Martins, the UK Government is pushing to reduce the barriers British car manufacturers currently face and remove the average tariff of 2.5% on UK car exports to the US.
Hand-crafted in Aston Martin’s new state of the art factory in St Athan, South Wales employing over 600 people, the first DBX came off the production line on Thursday 9 July 2020. The cars are due to arrive at the Port of New Jersey in August, from where they will be sent to dealerships all over the US.
Aston Martin is set to export 80% of its DBX cars, with the US being the largest market. The British luxury car manufacturer has already built a strong order book for the car following its unveiling last year.
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said:
“It’s great to see an iconic brand like Aston Martin showcasing the best of British design and engineering with the launch of the DBX, while creating jobs and new opportunities in Wales.
“The UK automotive industry is one of our great success stories, and we will continue to push for a US trade deal that removes barriers for British car manufacturers like Aston Martin.
“More trade with the US will help boost our economic recovery from coronavirus, and our Automotive Sector Deal will not only bring growth and investment to Wales, but other manufacturing hubs in the Midlands, North West and North East, creating prosperity all over the UK.”
Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, said:
“Aston Martin’s investment to create its luxury DBX crossover model in South Wales demonstrated a huge vote of confidence in our economy as well as in the skills and expertise of our workforce.
“This is a proud moment for the brand, Wales and the whole of the UK as the first car stamped with a ‘Made in Wales’ badge prepares to set sail for the USA later this month, marking the start of an exciting new era in our trading relations which will benefit our economy for years to come.”
Aston Martin was one of the first British car manufacturers to resume production in May after closures due to coronavirus. With various social distancing measures in place, staff are fully equipped with personal protective equipment.
Marek Reichman, Executive VP & Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin, said:
“We are immensely proud of the DBX our first SUV, designed, developed and manufactured here in the UK by our incredibly talented team.
“Bringing both the versatility and indulgence expected of a luxury SUV with sports car levels of dynamic performance, DBX sets a bold new standard in this sector.
“At the outset we wanted to make the most beautiful SUV, that would appeal to consumers around the world and I believe we have achieved that.”
