Aston Martin’s US Sales Threatened by New Crash Test

Aston Martin dealerships may begin to close down if the brand can’t get an exemption from new crash test standards. 

Both the DB9 and Vantage models are in jeopardy as they don’t comply with a new side-impact crash test that is being implemented next month. Without these two models, Aston dealerships will be “in the red” according to James Walker, chairman of the automaker’s U.S. dealer advisory panel.

“The financial viability of Aston Martin dealers is very much in question,” wrote Walker in a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “If dealers make the decision to shutter the franchise, a very likely outcome, the impact on employment is significant.”

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Aston is trying to get an exemption for the DB9 through August 2016 and for the Vantage through August 2017.

The new crash test is being implemented to protect occupants from sideways collisions into small fixed objects like telephone poles or trees.

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[Source: Automotive News]

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