Aston Martin’s chief executive Dr. Ulrich Bez said in an interview with the Financial Times of 2nd May that the European Commission’s proposed 130 g/km CO2 limit should measure manufacturers on the CO2 their cars emit per year rather than per kilometre, though if Aston Martins travelled on average around half the annual distance of most lower-emitting cars, they would still exceed an annual output equivalent to 130 g/km for most cars.

The proposed CO2 per-km per manufacturer limit could put Aston Martin at a disadvantage compared to some luxury/high consumption competitors like Rolls-Royce or Lamborghini inasmuch as their high emissions might be permitted to be offset by the more frugal brands owned by their parent groups.

Dr. Bez did not say how he thought an annual CO2 quota might be policed.

Aston Martin might anyway be spared, given its low manufacturing volume: the EC is considering exempting manufacturers producing fewer than 10,000 cars per year from the planned 2012 emissions limit. Aston Martin built 7,300 cars last year.

- Premier Financial Services (PFS), an American specialist in high end and vintage automotive leasing, has reached an agreement with Aston Martin North America to provide a leasing programme for the company's 31 US dealers.

http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/07-05-08_11