Aston Martin Lagonda is on target to deliver full production volumes in the first half of 2020 as pre-production versions of the luxury brand’s new DBX SUV rolled off the lines.

The 90-acre, former Ministry of Defence site at St Athan, South Wales, Wales was announced as the second UK plant for Aston Martin Lagonda in early 2016 and since then the whole site, including three ‘Super Hangars’, has been transformed into a modern manufacturing facility for our hand-crafted British cars.

Now the facility, which currently employs around 200 people and is expected to create up to 550 more, has marked a key milestone as production of vehicles gets underway.

Aston Martin Lagonda’s president and chief executive, Andy Palmer, said: “This is an exciting time for Aston Martin Lagonda.

“Our second luxury manufacturing facility is now producing cars and is ready to go into full production in H1 2020.

“Our facilities and manufacturing teams, led by VP and chief manufacturing operations officer, Keith Stanton, have done an outstanding job in getting the factory ready almost a year before full production starts, on time and on budget.“

Aston Martin Lagonda predicts that 3,000 jobs will likely be created across the supply chain and local businesses as a result of its investment its new production facility at St Athan.

The site will be the sole production facility for the Aston Martin DBX, the brand’s first SUV, which has been created for this fast-growing segment of the luxury market and will be officially unveiled later this year.

Last year, it was also named as Aston Martin Lagonda’s “Home of Electrification” and the manufacturing home of the Lagonda luxury brand.