Aston Martin’s new direction waters down an iconic brand

Aston Martin is known for the performance of its cars, its racing pedigree and for sleek sporty design that can be customised to include machine guns, tyre slashers and an oil slick delivery system (or was that just in Goldfinger?).

But these days, the British heritage brand wants to be known for something different: it's expanding into residential developments. The could make some strategic sense. But why does everything, from the locations (Miami, New York, Ras Al Khaimah and now Tokyo) to the design itself, feel so cold and uninspired? (see our guides to the best CAD software and the best laptops for CAD if you want to design something better).

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Aston Martin's latest product, N°001 Minami Aoyama, is a four-storey private residence in Tokyo's upmarket Omotesandō neighbourhood. A partnership with the luxury real estate developer VIBROA Inc, it follows an apartment project in Miami (Aston Martin Residences with G&G Business Developments), five residences with architect David Adjaye in the 130 William skyscraper in New York City and The Astera, Interiors by Aston Martin on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah.

The brand describes N°001 Minami Aoyama as a "true showcase for bespoke craft, high-end technology and a unifying design language that parallels the truth to materials, perfect proportions and effortless beauty of Aston Martin’s range of luxury sports cars."

There are vertically aligned metal louvers, causing light to play on reflective surfaces, and rippled mirrored ceilings. Of course, there's a garage with space to display two Aston Martins "as if they were sculptural works of art", with a 'glass vision' panel making them visible from the lounge and meeting room on the ground floor.

Does this brand extension make sense? Marek Reichman, the company's executive vice president and chief creative officer, says that for Aston Martin, design "goes beyond automotive inspiration." "I see fashion, architectural and even culinary references being considered by our team when developing their work," he says.

I think the aim is strategic. It's goal is to use Aston Martin's reputation for luxury and performance to become something more powerful than a mere car brand: to be a lifestyle brand. The groundwork for that diversification was laid with the stripped down Aston Martin logo design launched back in 2022.

If the strategy works, it will bring in new revenue streams and grow the brand's presence amid a target high-net-worth clientele, but it's not without risks. Over-extension could confuse consumers, and brand identity drift could weaken the emotional association with its core product.

And with Porsche and Lamborghini also involved in residential developments, it's hardly a visionary move. Without a clear narrative linking the extension to its heritage, the Aston Martin name could become just another meaningless luxury label. It strikes me as the opposite direction of the Jaguar rebrand, which, for all its controversy was at least doing something bold and interesting.

Would James Bond live in an Aston Martin house? I think not. A penthouse in a 66-storey glass sail on Miami’s coastline that screams 'look at me' is hardly discreet, and the Tokyo townhouse's hard lines and mirrored ceilings feel more like a villain’s lair.

What do you think? Will the new vertical work for the brand? Would James Bond live in Aston Martin townhouse? Let us know in the comments section below.