Aston Martin`s DBX Concept, the vehicle to possibly be built in Alabama

Alabama already is home to three busy auto assembly plants, but there is "absolutely" room for another one, the state's top business recruiter said.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the state is well-positioned to lure another automaker while it continues to support the existing industry.

"We do believe we have the locations and the capacity through incentives to accomplish this, and we believe we've got the efforts underway in the education community to build the workforce," he said.

Canfield's comments follow reports late last month that British automaker Aston Martin, the maker of high-performance sports cars including James Bond's preferred ride, is considering building a new U.S. factory in Alabama.

Here, the company would be close to its industrial partner and fellow luxury nameplate, Mercedes-Benz, as well as the local supplier network that surrounds the German automaker's operations in Tuscaloosa County.

But Canfield declined to comment specifically on the Aston Martin project, or any other company the state may be courting.

Volvo also was hunting for a U.S. assembly plant site, but on Monday announced it had selected South Carolina. Georgia was a finalist for the $500 million, 4,000-worker factory, the Associated Press reported.

Alabama's automotive sector includes three auto assembly plants operated by Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Hyundai, which combined to produce nearly 1 million vehicles last year.

The state's strategy to expand the sector includes working with existing automakers and suppliers, and expected growth from them is significant, Canfield said.

"We do believe we have the capacity for another (automaker)," he said. "A lot has to do with the location."

"It would also be very compatible to our existing automotive sector and much easier to facilitate if we have a smaller boutique luxury automobile manufacturer," he added.

Aston Martin, which fits that bill, has a new chief executive, Andy Palmer, who has an ambitious plan to revive the brand's fortunes and boost annual sales to 15,000 vehicles, up from 4,000 last year, according to Automotive News Europe.

A key part of that plan is the company's first crossover, called the DBX, which could be based on the new Mercedes-Benz GLC that was recently unveiled in concept form. Mercedes parent Daimler has a stake in Aston Martin.

Mercedes' Alabama plant currently produces five models: the M-Class SUV (soon to be known as the GLE-Class), C-Class sedan, GL-Class SUV, GLE Coupe SUV and R-Class crossover.

It was Palmer who was quoted by Autocar in late April, talking about Alabama.

"It is not decided yet but clearly with our arrangement with Daimler it would make sense to look closely at the possible synergies of working close to them in Alabama," he told the British automotive publication.

A spokesman for Aston Martin said this week that the company is now working on the advanced feasibility study for the DBX project, including where it might be built. But no decision has been made.

Jeremy Acevedo, analyst for auto shopping website Edmunds.com, said an Alabama site makes sense for Aston Martin.

"It does seem like an extremely viable location for the vehicle to be produced," he said.

The DBX is an all-electric model and part of Aston Martin's attempt to gain a wider following with a somewhat more affordable offering, Acevedo added.

The move is similar to what Italian sports car manufacturer Maserati has done with the Ghibli. Pricing for that sedan starts at about $70,000, but that's well below the six figures that other Maseratis typically cost.

Starting price tags for Aston Martins also routinely top $100,000.

"This is part of the larger trend that we see of these exotic manufacturers moving just a bit down market and expanding their audience," Acevedo said. "It's a small step."

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