RE: Aston Martin's new boss

[Dick Dastardly]

For those commenting on how he can improve AM quality, I have to say that my vantage is the most reliable car I've ever owned, and that's coming from someone with a decade of BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi and even Nissan ownership behind him.

[Speedraser]

I hope he's enough of a petrolhead to understand that an Aston with an off-the-shelf AMG engine would no longer be one of the "bluest-blood GTs on the planet." Please Andy, recognize that the engines must be bespoke to a considerable degree, as the announcement of the AMG deal said they would be. This man should be able to make that happen and ensure that Aston can hold its head high among the likes of Ferrari.

[ChristAlmighty]

- Improve build quality/reliability (I'm currently mulling my 3rd Aston, so I know what I'm talking about here)
- do NOT pass up the Bond opportunity (if the next film doesn't have an Aston (Vanquish?) in it, I won't just slap my forehead, I'll slap HIS)
- keep owners loyal by ensuring dealers avoid "they all do that sir" / "that's not covered under warranty sir" / "sorry but you're one day outside warranty sir" >:-(
- need vastly improved interior technology. It's pretty dated (my Mums Nissan Juke has better Satnav/Bluetooth streaming/phone integration)
- customer service should be second to none (are we seeing a pattern here? McLaren's CS is by all accounts *amazing*)
- keep designing gorgeous cars that blend the modern with traditional Aston values

That is all :-)

Edited by ChristAlmighty on Tuesday 2nd September 21:24

[DonkeyApple]

martin elaman said:

Aston should mix the old with the new, unfortunately we will be getting Aston's that are mostly AMG's with pretty bodies. ALL electronic.

The only consolation is that very many of the finest things on the planet have come about by blending something English with something foreign. Whether women or cars our genetics when blended can have the finest results imaginable.

[AER]

Max_Torque said:

Really? I suspect not. I can't imagine that many CEOs really being battery experts.

I thought assault and battery was how you got things done at the top?

[oilit]

The first thing he needs to do is put a wig and a mask on and go round and witness the real life crappy service the dealers are dishing out - especially the service department of the one covering the SW.

I cringe taking mine in for any work - it has been returned twice damaged, and numerous visits to resolve same faults.

I love the product, but the dealer experience has really soured my desire for another one.

[smilo996]

Well he is an Engineer, that is a good start
He clearly worked at Tefal once and has a huge brain, also good.
If he has been involved with Carlos Gosh Really then that is also good.

If he is a good MD then he will be sufficiently expert and intelligent to move from one business type to another.

I hope his first job is to tear up the AMG contract, beat up Vince Cable or some city chumps, employ another 100 people and make a modular V6,8 and 12 for the future of Aston Martin as an independent manufacturer, rather than a coach builder. Or even go cap in hand to Jagwar.

Finally reduce the grill size on the next Rapide and add 3 inches to the length.

[ChristAlmighty]

oilit said:

The first thing he needs to do is put a wig and a mask on and go round and witness the real life crappy service the dealers are dishing out - especially the service department of the one covering the SW.

I cringe taking mine in for any work - it has been returned twice damaged, and numerous visits to resolve same faults.

I love the product, but the dealer experience has really soured my desire for another one.

THIS x1000 ---------^

[MC1805]

DonkeyApple said:

Excellent news. They need to ditch a few more boardroom leeches and move on strongly and focus on the cars and not pensions.

And there are a few of those who've been around far too long - a certain Ops Director who doesn't renew the factory cleaning contract of a supplier, and then hands it to his brother's company. Said brother then sets up as contract labour supplier for shop floor operatives. Just a couple of examples of a director at AML more interested in saying they run AML than ACTUALLY running AML. How on earth do you manage to turn a profit making business in 2006/7 into such a loss maker in 7 years? Last year I think the figures quoted were circa £500m turnover and £1.5m profit - lamentable. And don't believe all the nonsense about investment. They are broke due to the greed of the huge egos who have been at the helm too long milking the business for everything they can. The blame will be laid firmly at the door of the economy of course…but take a look at Bentley then. Same economy, but Bentley can run a business, sell cars and make money.

Andy Palmer arriving is excellent news. I would love to be a fly on the wall over the coming months when he gets stuck into some of the 'big hitters' running AML now…they won't know what happened to them. Here comes your nemesis gentlemen - a man who has run a global business with 150 000+ employees. I reckon on 6 months or so of calm, and then there will be big changes. Aston's can't go it alone without an OEM backer. AML have struggled to get an OEM interested because they have 2nd rate crew on the bridge and didn't have a plan. All that will change with Mr Palmer coming on board. I predict a few of the old guard will be made to walk the plank, and then we will see Daimler increase their stake.

Good Luck Andy - save our beloved Aston Martin!

[williamp]

I wish him a lot of luck. This isnt any old brand. its Aston. Martin. So please dont do a Cygnet Sanction 2 based on a micra...

Official press release from sniffpetrol:


In a surprise move, Robert Palmer is to leave Nissan and join Aston Martin.

Palmer has been with Nissan for over 20 years where he has been in charge of wearing a suit and standing in front of some bored looking girls pretending to play musical instruments.

Palmer’s new role at Aston Martin will come with a number of responsibilities including ensuring the lights are on, but no one’s home.

‘Aston Martin like to think they’re immune to the stuff, oh yea’ noted industry analyst Peeetr Vest. ‘But it’s closer to the truth to say they can’t get enough and they’re gonna have to face it they’re addicted to that sodding VH platform they’ve been using for about 100 years now.’


Still, it takes every kinda people...

[DonkeyApple]

MC1805 said:

DonkeyApple said:

Excellent news. They need to ditch a few more boardroom leeches and move on strongly and focus on the cars and not pensions.

And there are a few of those who've been around far too long - a certain Ops Director who doesn't renew the factory cleaning contract of a supplier, and then hands it to his brother's company. Said brother then sets up as contract labour supplier for shop floor operatives. Just a couple of examples of a director at AML more interested in saying they run AML than ACTUALLY running AML. How on earth do you manage to turn a profit making business in 2006/7 into such a loss maker in 7 years? Last year I think the figures quoted were circa £500m turnover and £1.5m profit - lamentable. And don't believe all the nonsense about investment. They are broke due to the greed of the huge egos who have been at the helm too long milking the business for everything they can. The blame will be laid firmly at the door of the economy of course…but take a look at Bentley then. Same economy, but Bentley can run a business, sell cars and make money.

Andy Palmer arriving is excellent news. I would love to be a fly on the wall over the coming months when he gets stuck into some of the 'big hitters' running AML now…they won't know what happened to them. Here comes your nemesis gentlemen - a man who has run a global business with 150 000+ employees. I reckon on 6 months or so of calm, and then there will be big changes. Aston's can't go it alone without an OEM backer. AML have struggled to get an OEM interested because they have 2nd rate crew on the bridge and didn't have a plan. All that will change with Mr Palmer coming on board. I predict a few of the old guard will be made to walk the plank, and then we will see Daimler increase their stake.

Good Luck Andy - save our beloved Aston Martin!

Yup. I'd love to see a full audit as to how all the funds have been invested.

OK, the demand for GTs fell off a cliff in 2007 and has only started to recover in recent years and their cousins at JLR were lucky to own an SUV brand which transpired to be the primary wealth product over that period and has saved them but AM was a firm that was released from Ford in fantastic fettle and with a tremendous future but has been driven downhill from the start.

That's not to say that their products aren't great. They are fabulous. But they don't have enough products for the right markets and have taken short cut after short cut with these becoming worse and worse I the point that they are now dusting off Victor Gauntlett's 'How to keep some cash coming from the ME' disaster recovery plan.

Hopefully this new Lagonda is actually a clever soft launch of this brand. Smartly done to raise its profile and create desire ability ahead of rolling it out as a premium saloon and SUV brand. They need something to deliver sufficient revenues to protect the GT side of the business. If you look at the numbers of GTs that any major manufacturer builds the stats show that however good business is you can't sell enough to justify AM's valuation. The balance sheet has one comically large intangible on there that and lender could pop any time they like and it also shows a history of investment in pensioners instead of production.

I hope this chap was chosen because of the plan to roll out Lagonda as a volume brand to support AM but what if he just took the job because he's decided to retire and this looks like a bit of fun instead of golf and it comes with a startlingly good pension plan? He wouldn't be the first pensioner at the Gaydon Sunset Retirement Home.