“Expanding our product range to enable a greater reach into export markets is an essential part of our Second Century business plan,” said Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer. “Having this support from the government to help execute the plan is a meaningful vote of confidence in the future of the company.”

So what might Aston martin do with this investment? Well is rumoured to be working on a long-wheelbase version of the Rapide aimed specifically at foreign markets. Aiming a long wheelbase model at the still booming Chinese market is an obvious choice since consumers in China highly value greater interior space. What makes a stretched Rapide even more likely is that the development work for the stretched chassis has already been done as part of the Lagonda Taraf project.