Works Service makeover and new sales outlet to create 'Centre of Excellence'

14 Oct 2011

In recent years, particularly during Ford ownership prior to its March 2007 takeover by a David Richards-led consortium, unwelcome rumours had sporadically emerged from Aston Martin Lagonda that its famous Newport Pagnell facility would close. Now the future of the home of Aston Martin production for half a century, which ended when the final Vanquish S left the line in July 2007, and the company’s commitment to both it and its highly skilled workforce, has been assured with the announcement of the expansion of Works Service and incorporation of an in-house car sales department.

As the first six month, and currently underway, stage of the two year development programme, which has a completion date of October 2012, the world renowned Works Service will undergo major modernisation that will see it include Aston Martin’s recently established Works Tailored department. Working closely with the company’s designers and engineers at the company’s Gaydon, Warwickshire, headquarters, the latter offers customers the chance to create the ultimate level of personalisation for their cars, regardless of age, from colour/finish options through to the latest in state of the art technology. The inclusion of an Aston Martin dealership – work on which has also already begun and which will sell not only the latest models but also used classic and contemporary examples – at the historic Buckinghamshire site, which each year caters for the servicing, restoration and repair work of some 2,500 Aston Martins and Lagondas from more than 30 countries, will form an integral part of the facility’s transformation.

“After many years we have established ourselves as a leader in Aston Martin service, repair and restoration here at Newport Pagnell”, said Kingsley Riding-Felce, long standing and highly respected Director of Aston Martin Works Service. “The ability now to invest in our buildings and bring them to the same high standard of our knowledge and skill is very exciting indeed. This integrated plan also sees some key additions to both the team and indeed its capabilities to cater for the customer demands of the present and future. In addition to this, an Aston Martin dealership will be constructed at Works Service completing our fields of expertise to create a true Aston Martin ‘Centre of Excellence’.”