Suppliers to the Audi A8

German suppliers give the Audi A8 premium safety features

Few things are considered as British as Aston Martin, but the carmaker’s new model will be built for the first time entirely outside the UK.  The Rapide, a four-door sports car and competitor to the Maserati Quattroporte and Porsche Panamera, is assembled by Magna Steyr at its plant in Graz, Austria.   Around 240 workers are employed in the vehicle’s assembly; it takes approximately 220 man-hours to produce each car.  The move to Graz came about due to its regular plant in Gaydon, Warwickshire reaching maximum capacity (8,000 automobiles per annum).  Consequently, Aston Martin worked with Magna Steyr to create a new facility in Graz.  The Canadian firm often describes itself as a tier-0.5 supplier in acknowledgement of its vehicle assembly experience, which recently includes the Peugeot RCZ, BMW X3 and Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Aston Martin unveiled the Rapide at the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt.