The DBX is currently doing the full publicity tour in the hands of sure-to-be-positive media outlets. Aston Martin is pining its very survival on the DBX. The company is teetering on financial collapse as it struggles to feed a $1bn debt pile. The company’s debt has created unease among banks who are no longer willing to loan more money. So Aston Martin has been scrambling to find investors. Lance Stroll, the Billionaire investor and current owner of F1 team Racing Point is one possible suitor. However, Aston Martin appears to be placing their hopes on Chinese automaker Geely.

Talks with Geely are on-going, Aston Martin requires a cash injection of at least £500 million GBP to keep it running for the short term. It’s a far cry from the day when Aston Martin listed on the stock market back in 2018. Back in 2007, Aston Martin’s sales peaked at 4,000 vehicles. When Andy Plamer was installed as the CEO his aim was to increase annual sales to around 10,000 units.

Under Palmer’s leadership profits returned as demand rose to a peak of 6,441 in 2018. This boost in confidence reinforced the belief that Aston Martin’s product planning and stock was on the rise. But as with any business sales can be good one year and disappointing the following year. It is the nature of the beast.

That initial confidence, along with the stock market listing, was dented in 2019 which saw a decline in sales. For any company, to announce a decline in sales to an ever-watchful stock market is viewed as a betrayal. It simply comes with the territory. But Aston Martin’s stock had been declining for many months before it went begging for a bailout.

The markets had seen Aston Martin increasing its debt which means even a relatively small drop in demand could cause trouble down the line. And sales did decline in 2019, or rather the company failed to meet a 7,000 unit per year target. As a result, the all-electric Rapide E has been abandoned and all decks on hand are focused on the DBX SUV.

Andy Plamer claimed that the DBX would double Aston Martin’s sales, 4,000 units in the first year of production. That figure was stock market fodder, probably to boost the share price for the short term interests. So far 1,800 people have placed an order. It is impossible to say how many of those orders are confirmed.

The stock market analysts have seen this game played before and they didn’t take Palmer’s bait. If Aston Martin sells 2,000 DBXs per year then that’s a success of sorts. But overstating the demand is the wrong game to play. Will the DBX save Aston Martin? yes in the short term, but in the long term the savior could end up killing it off.