Aston Martin Sevenoaks moving to Tunbridge Wells
Discussion
Dewi 2 said:
When this move was first announced, I wondered what Marshalls would do about their Nissan franchise in Tunbridge Wells.
As a volume seller, it is presumably important to them.
Relocate perhaps?
“Further to a strategic review of Marshall Motor Group’s Nissan representation in Kent, effective 30 November 2024, Marshall Nissan Tunbridge Wells will close. Its sales, service and parts operations, including the customer base will transfer to nearby Marshall Nissan stores in Ashford, Dartford and Maidstone.”
Whilst having some warranty work performed on my 2025 Vantage at the brand new Aston Martin Tunbridge Wells dealership, I captured a short video,of the showroom and outside car lot for anyone interested in going there. Much better showroom than the old Sevenoaks place, and lovely that service & sales are together in one building.
Still some more work to go in conversion from Marshall’s old Nissan showroom to AML-approved facility, e.g. new floor tiles, removal of old Nissan red light fixtures, building of a specification-lounge area, etc.
Still some more work to go in conversion from Marshall’s old Nissan showroom to AML-approved facility, e.g. new floor tiles, removal of old Nissan red light fixtures, building of a specification-lounge area, etc.
VantageHead said:
Whilst having some warranty work performed on my 2025 Vantage at the brand new Aston Martin Tunbridge Wells dealership, I captured a short video,of the showroom and outside car lot for anyone interested in going there. ...
Thank you for posting yuur film.
What struck me was the huge amount of stock.
Did you count when you were there?
Aproximately, I could see 8 cars in the showroom, 1 on the balcony and there might be about 40 on the forecourt.
About 50 cars, including some used. Far more than were displayed at Sevenoaks.
Perhaps about £8,000,000 worth
They have a great range and should do well. But even London money isn’t as strong as before. Many foreigners don’t want to live here now and luxury goods are taking a hammering. Porsche are offering big discounts and GT models are going unsold. Even Caterham are struggling to sell as they don’t really have a cheap bottom end and the top is £80k ish.
Really rough times so it’s good to see someone investing in the brand.
Really rough times so it’s good to see someone investing in the brand.
Dewi 2 said:
What struck me was the huge amount of stock.
Did you count when you were there?
Aproximately, I could see 8 cars in the showroom, 1 on the balcony and there might be about 40 on the forecourt.
About 50 cars, including some used. Far more than were displayed at Sevenoaks.
Perhaps about £8,000,000 worth
Thanks Dewi.Did you count when you were there?
Aproximately, I could see 8 cars in the showroom, 1 on the balcony and there might be about 40 on the forecourt.
About 50 cars, including some used. Far more than were displayed at Sevenoaks.
Perhaps about £8,000,000 worth
The silver DBX in the showroom is second hand, and there is at least one example of most of the models (DB12 Coupe & Volante, Vantage Coupe & Roadster, DBX707 & Vanquish) - no ‘S’ models yet. They’ve had the white Vanquish since launch, however because it’s so lightly specified, hasn’t appealed to prospective buyers (at this price, most buyers are going to want their own specification) - just needs someone to make them an irresistible offer.
One reason that it looks like there’s a lot more cars is that now that the service department is housed in the same premises as the Sales showroom, there’s lots of customer cars parked around awaiting service and collection. The site is actually much smaller than the previous site (don’t forget they stored cars in the Jaguar Showroom next door at the Sevenoaks site, and they had a separate secure compound for cars being serviced & repaired - they no longer have these, and have to cram everything into the much smalller new site).
The new showroom is lovely though and feels much more upbeat and positive than the old run-down facility at Sevenoaks, which successive owners (Lancaster, Stratstone, Lithia & Drive, etc.) refused to maintain/renovate. Three cheers (and congratulations) to Marshall (the new owners), who have had the guts to finally made the necessary investment needed - especially brave, given the current hostile political and sales headwinds.
In terms of disappointing sales, it takes someone truly brave/mad to write a cheque for a brand new car that is going to rapidly depreciate - I should know as I’m one of those (I’ve had my 2025 Vantage since June)! Think this a big part of the issue. The other is the appalling taxation on people - getting higher by the years and greedy ‘tax and spend’ governments come after people’s hard earned savings and pensions.
Interestingly, over the road from the Aston showroom is a new ‘Jaecoo’ (Chinese car brand) garage that is clearly thriving and apparently already has plans to expand! In October, the Jaecoo 7 recorded 2,611 registrations in the UK, compared to the (highly popular) Nissan Qashqai's 2,461!
Familymad said:
They have a great range and should do well. But even London money isn t as strong as before. Many foreigners don t want to live here now and luxury goods are taking a hammering. Porsche are offering big discounts and GT models are going unsold. Even Caterham are struggling to sell as they don t really have a cheap bottom end and the top is £80k ish.
Really rough times so it s good to see someone investing in the brand.
Absolutely, Familymad! Totally agree.Really rough times so it s good to see someone investing in the brand.
VantageHead said:
In terms of disappointing sales, it takes someone truly brave/mad to write a cheque for a brand new car that is going to rapidly depreciate -
I should know as I m one of those (I've had my 2025 Vantage since June)! Think this a big part of the issue. The other is the appalling taxation on people - getting higher by the years and greedy tax and spend governments come after people s hard earned savings and pensions.
Interestingly, over the road from the Aston showroom is a new Jaecoo (Chinese car brand) garage that is clearly thriving and apparently already has plans to expand! In October, the Jaecoo 7 recorded 2,611 registrations in the UK, compared to the (highly popular) Nissan Qashqai's 2,461!
I should know as I m one of those (I've had my 2025 Vantage since June)! Think this a big part of the issue. The other is the appalling taxation on people - getting higher by the years and greedy tax and spend governments come after people s hard earned savings and pensions.
Interestingly, over the road from the Aston showroom is a new Jaecoo (Chinese car brand) garage that is clearly thriving and apparently already has plans to expand! In October, the Jaecoo 7 recorded 2,611 registrations in the UK, compared to the (highly popular) Nissan Qashqai's 2,461!
Throughout my car buying life, initially by necessity, I have bought 2 year old, as new condition cars. Still have that first car.
Later on it was no longer by necessity, but by then I had probably become habitually stingy.
My V8V was a wonderful find at a main dealer, 2 years old; 6,000 miles; as new condition; 40% below the original cost.
What made that extraordinary, is that it is my exact specification, even down to calipers and stitching.
To make it even more extraordinary, which I did not know at the time, the colour I wanted is 1 of only 7 in the UK.
The previous owner was in touch. He only returned to the dealer for some kind of general enquiry, but left having been sold another AM.
At the end of this month, it will begin its winter sleep, away from any inclement weather.
Latest purchase is an E Class from a main dealer, 2 years old; 4,000 miles; one of very few petrols in UK; half the cost of a new car.
Yet another keeper.
As for the Chinese, their very rapid sales increases, must be a frightening indication of what is going to happen.
2025 UK figures - Tesla (declining this year) has already been overtaken by BYD and I think they only began here last year.
baconsarney said:
I used to get my Vantage serviced at the MD in Cambridge but they moved to Sevenoaks iirc is the TW company the same one that was originally in Cambridge ?
TIA Richard
TIA Richard
Lancaster was the dealer group who owned Cambridge, Reading and Sevenoaks. All quite long established I think.
Possibly Reading was the first to close. They then used those premises for one of their other franchises.
The current Reading AM dealer is a different dealer group, in different premises.
As you know, Cambridge was closed. That was perhaps a surprise, because their dealer principal was very active and created several RAF themed special editions. I forget that gentleman's name, but he joined AML at Gaydon. I think he has left AML now.
Whether the whole of the Lancaster group was sold I forget, but whoever came on the scene, subsequently sold the Sevenoaks business to Marshalls.
From a business point of view, I was surprised that they changed their Tunbridge Wells premises from Nissan to Aston Martin.
I have no idea of figures, but with the Nissan Qashqai being such a huge seller, one might assume a Nissan franchise might be more profitable than Aston Martin. Just think of the cost alone, of continually holding such a valuable stock of Aston Martin cars.
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