Aston Martin’s brand manager, Mohamed El Fakhoury, informed Daily News Egypt that the company is preparing to launch its first SUV in 2021, adding that they will also introduce two electric models by 2020, namely Rapide E and Lagonda Taraf.
Regarding the impact of the European partnership with Egypt on the company, El Fakhoury said that the agreement reflects positively in terms of increasing the number of luxury cars in Egypt, especially those of European origin, which were subjected to a heavy customs tariff which prevented the increase of this segment of cars in Egypt.
He stressed that Aston Martin cars will be noticeably affected by a reduction in tariffs, especially since all models operate engines with a capacity of more than 2,000CC, positioning them in the segment to most benefit from the European Partnership Agreement. He could not forecast the price cut until the final estimates of the import costs are finalised by the ministry of finance.
With regard to the Brexit, he said that the company will wait until the mechanism of Brexit is set, adding that the political aspect controls economic aspects, so the situation of the company is not a priority seen by the United Kingdom.
He added that the Egyptian market is one of the most promising markets for the English company, citing the arrival of the first Aston Martin DB11 to Egypt before many other countries, in addition to the Aston Martin Vantage which was introduced in the market 60 days ago.
He noted that the company will introduce its latest model Aston Martin DBS Superleggera in Egypt in 15 days. The DBS Superleggera is a super car with a 5.2 litre V12 turbine engine generating 715 HP and 900 NM of torque. The engine is geared by an automatic transmission of 8 gears to jump from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds.
He noted that the company puts the customer first in mind, as the company has an aftersales service, by shipping spare parts and car accessories through aircrafts, in order to reduce the repair time, which was stipulated by the parent company.
Moreover, that after-sales service has seen a jump in the classification to reach the C category up from E, after undergoing trainings to enable employees to paint any Aston Martin cars anywhere in the world, as cars can be sent to Egypt to be painted and returned again.
El Fakhoury confirmed that the company appreciates the customer’s precious time so they enhanced their aftersales service. The company provides the required transportation to the integrated service centre in the Abu Rawash area via a specialised crew to transport the car and complete the maintenance operations, and then returns it to the owner after completion. The company also performs a maintenance campaign in the summer in the North Coast area to serve all Egyptian owners.
Aston Martin landed in Egypt six years ago. The first vehicle arrived through the exclusive dealership, Aston Martin Egypt, five years ago. There are now 33 Aston Martin cars in Egypt, which is not a low number given the segment targeted by the company.
