Aston Martin in £200 million China investment

British luxury supercar maker Aston Martin has unveiled a £20 million investment in its Chinese dealer network.

Times to coincide with Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to China, Aston Martin unveiled the investment as part of their new five-year plan for the market.

Product of Aston Martin. [File Photo provided by Sino.uk]

CEO Andy Palmer said: "These investments reflect our confidence in the Aston Martin brand and the attractiveness of the Chinese market, which was our fastest growing region in 2017."

The news is further evidence of the growing importance of the Chinese market to Aston Martin. 

As we reported in 2017, the brand unveiled a new edition of its V8 Vantage S in Shanghai, which will only be available in China.

Called the 'Great Britain Edition', the latest variant of the supercar is priced at just a tad under £240,000, with a limited production run of just five vehicles.

The Aston, which was unveiled at the Shanghai motor show, features a blue leather interior and some exclusive touches such as a unique upholstery.

The fact that the Great Britain Edition is offered for sale only in China is particularly interesting on two levels.

Firstly, it illustrates the growing importance of the country as a market for supercars. Lamborghini, for example, counted China as its second biggest sales destination in 2016, although it remains to be fully seen how a new government ten percent tax on luxury cars will impact demand.

Secondly, the choice of name reveals much about growing cultural and trade relations between China and the United Kingdom. Amongst many Chinese, British goods are in demand for their reputation of quality and style - something that Aston Martin is clearly trying to embody here.