Aston Martin hopes to sell at least 10 units a year here

PETALING JAYA: After almost 100 years since its inception, luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin has arrived on Malaysian shores with a target to sell a minimum of 10 units a year.

Synonymous with British secret agent James Bond, the British car company will celebrate its 100 years as manufacturer of exclusive sports car next year.

Singapore-based Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd global sales director Andy Gawthorpe said there were already around 100 Aston Martin car owners in Malaysia and it was hoping to gain new ones in the region.

"We will use Kuala Lumpur as a base before going to China, Japan and South Korea," Gawthorpe said at the launch, here, yesterday of its RM8 million Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur, its first outlet in Malaysia and 143rd in the world.

Jelita Seleksi Sdn Bhd, controlled by the Berjaya Group, is the official franchise importer and dealer of Aston Martin cars in the country.

The company was formed 100 years ago by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin, and took the Aston Martin name following the successes of the marque at the Aston hill climb in Buckinghamshire, England.

The company sells 4,000 units a year globally and in Malaysia, the models available are the DBS, Rapide, V12 Vantage, V8 Vantage and the Vanquish (available from the first quarter in 2013) with prices ranging from RM1.1 million to RM2.2 million.