Aston Martin returns production to its historic home

Warwickshire-based sports car manufacturer Aston Martin has resumed production of its vehicles at its historic home.

The company is using its Newport Pagnell site to produce a special run of 25 of its DB4 GTs. The move sees history come full circle, as the Tickford Street factory is where the original DB4 GTs were built almost 60 years ago.

The company has had the move in mind for some time and is said to mark another landmark in Aston Martin’s ‘Second Century Plan’, the strategy guiding the company’s new production ethos.

Since moving to its purpose-built headquarters and production facility at Gaydon in 2003, Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell premises has exclusively been home to Aston Martin Works – the marque’s heritage sales, service, spares and restoration operation. Production of the Mk1 Vanquish ceased in 2007, but since that time many classic Aston Martins have been restored to their former glory by the highly-skilled Works team.

With Aston Martin Works being the spiritual home for many of the marque’s most celebrated models, from the DB2/4 to Vanquish S Ultimate, Newport Pagnell was seen as the perfect facility in which to build the DB4 GT Continuation cars.

Each car is an exquisite demonstration of Works’ unique ability to blend absolute authenticity and old-world craftsmanship with modern techniques and performance enhancements.

Production of the continuation cars was announced by Aston Martin President and CEO, Andy Palmer last year.

With each car taking approximately 4,500-man hours to build, the last of the cars is expected to be completed and delivered during the course of 2018.

Mr Palmer said: “For more than half a century Newport Pagnell was the heart of Aston Martin. Thanks to the efforts of those at Aston Martin Works it has since become the torchbearer for our Heritage division. It’s immensely satisfying and wholly appropriate that this historic, yet state-of-the-art facility should now form a key part of our expansion.

“Together with Gaydon and our all-new production facility at St Athan – which is progressing towards completion – it’s my pleasure to see production officially return to Newport Pagnell.”