Aston Martin Considers Macedonia for Crossover Plant

Macedonia has joined Alabama, the Middle East and the U.K. as possible locations for an Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. factory to make the company’s upcoming DBX crossover vehicle.

Sources tell Reuters the Balkan country is under consideration again after improving its bid. Aston Martin, which once considered 19 possible locales for the facility, is expected to make a final selection by about the end of January.

CEO Andy Palmer said last summer that Aston Martin’s home factory in Gaydon, England, cannot be expanded. He described Alabama as an “obvious choice” because of the size of the American market.

Palmer considers the DBX a critical model to give Aston Martin the broader appeal and higher sales volume it needs to establish profitability. The company hopes to leverage its annual sales from about 4,000 luxury sport coupes to 15,000 vehicles by 2020.