free market research for Aston Martin.

 

The group of Vantage owners in Minneapolis is very diverse. I had a 'marketing' expert help us determine a strategy for our exhibit for the International Builders Show in a few weeks. The customer profile (after spending $7,000 for his 'expertise') was to target only the builder/developers because they would care about 'legacy' more than land developers (which is BS). I made it clear that land development is not like a burger where after 4 hours you want another one, but instead it's about a window of opportunity and our target client is about timing first (do they need a development designed?) and profiling based upon their desire to use a better 'neighborhood' design to enhance their success. The $7K could have been used better to make my Vantage even more spiffy! Aston should ignore the hot air coming out of their advisor's mouth and realize their potential customer is similar to my situation - timing needs to be right (is that customer at a time where they can make such a decision comfortably), then is that client such that will appreciate their new investment - be a satisfied one? The vantage owners I've met have been white, black, asian, jewish, muslim, christian, blue collar & white collar - conservative and not. If I take my 'experts' advice I'd go out of business. I hope someone with brains at Aston Martin is monitoring this blog.

 

Geez, don't get your knickers in a twist. They just want to make sure the models are truly differentiated by using extreme 'clients', not real people. This way they don't end up doing stuff like putting spoilers on all the models. Don't think 'Philippe' would like one on his DB9...

 

this...

 

Love it!

 

Guys.

The process is for design and product development. It has NOTHING to do with how the company sees their customer or who they think their customers are.

The negative and hurt reactions I'm seeing are evidence that AM shouldn't have allowed this info out of the studio.

This is how all cars are designed and developed. 99% of the actual buyers are not like the idealized "target".

I'll use the DB10 as an example. THAT car was designed for a particular character. I am nothing like James Bond. But the choices in design, guided by making a car for that particular "client" have resulted in a car that I'd still want.

The characters invented by the development team are in no way a description of what AM thinks of us.

 

At an Aston Martin focus group last year, one of the guys in the group announced that he was gay and felt that Astons appealed to upscale gay men... Meaning that if you see a guy in an Aston he's likely gay... This was news to me.

 

J'Adore perfume appeals to my 280 pound, homely cousin.

If you smell J'Adore on a woman, she's likely an unattractive 280 pounder.

 

Bingo.

This is the era of too much everything, including useless 'information'. Your average CGI'd Hollywood movie, social media and blogging are great examples of this phenomenon. Looks like Aston, despite their long history of restraint and reserve, aren't immune to this.

 

Being a Vanquish owner, I find this particularly interesting.

One thing that I think is missing from all the profiles:

Any Aston owner could easily own a car that might offer more performance or handling for the money. Hell, anyone buying anything more expensive than a Chevy Corvette can say the same.

I bought the Vanquish because it ISN'T a Lamborghini or Ferrari or Bentley. It is unique in its own sense and projects class and exclusivity in a way that no other car does without appearing garish.

There is a history and exclusivity to the cars that I hope the next generation does not lose.

Let's face it, Aston lovers are CAR lovers. We appreciate the fine lines in the details and don't care if we give up one or two or dozens of the latest lane keeping assist systems and blind spot warning systems in favor a classy ride with some true analog feedback.

Most of us could buy most any car we wanted (more or less), but we chose an Aston precisely because it is not like any other car....Don't go making them the same as the others, it's a sure fire way to lose your customer.

 

But I think they do capture that very thing. They even say as much in the Vantage proxy profile: how he could drive a Lambo but that would just be embarrassing ("tasteless" is the word they use).

Unfortunately, in recent history, the fact that a DBS or Vanquish is distinct from a Ferrari or Lambo hasn't been enough to generate the kind of demand the company needs to thrive. I'm a huge Vanquish fan but I'd have trouble justifying full sticker price for one. Meanwhile over at the Ferrari dealer, they can't remember the last time they sold a brand new car for below sticker...198....?

Aston Martin has to appeal beyond the contrarian market (most of us) without excluding us. Lamborghini used to be the contrarian super/sports car but they've turned into whatever it is they are now. Let's hope this next generation of cars helps push Aston Martin closer to "exclusive" and further from "if you only new how great they are".

 

I think we are more or less agreeing. I just don't want to see the cars become less special in favor of grabbing that customer who buys the Ferrari or Lamborghini because it says "hey look at me".

Even the more muted Bentley style still says look at me more than the Aston in my eyes.

I don't know the solution. The issue with bespoke cars without a big parent to technology and parts is, you end up having to pay more for what might be perceived is less for the final product. It should be interesting to see if AMG can help solve that issue without Aston losing the identity that makes it appeal to current buyers.

I will say that if you look at Bentley or Lambo, most of their current buyers probably weren't previously buyers of that marque. That just may be the natural evolution of things in the high end car world.

Ferrari is a bit unique because they can afford to build less cars than there is demand and hold up the market values. They do this by putting their motors in Maseratis, which last time I checked, aren't selling anywhere near sticker price.

 

I agree completely