Aston Martin to make electric cars in the UK
ASTON Martin has pledged to build all its electric cars in the UK from 2025.
The luxury car-maker revealed this week that its electric SUV models will be manufactured at its factory in St Athan, South Wales, while its battery sports car will be made at its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
This is instead of the vehicles being built at German plants owned by its partner, Mercedes-Benz, which owns a fifth of the firm.
Aston Martin plans to launch hybrid versions of its cars from this year, followed by battery-only models from 2025.
Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll, the Canadian billionaire who led a bailout of the company last year, told the Financial Times: “The SUV will be built in Wales and the sports cars will be built here (in Gaydon).”
The UK plans to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, with hybrids prohibited from 2035.
A number of manufacturers have announced commitments to shift from electric and diesel engines.
Ford announced last month that it will sell only electric cars in the UK and Europe by 2030. This came two days after Jaguar made the same
pledge from 2025. Mr Stroll claimed Aston Martin is “way ahead of our rivals, and all because of our partnership with Mercedes”.
Ferrari has pledged to release hybrid cars by 2030, while Bentley plans to go fully electric by the same
date. No timelines have been set for pure-electric cars by McLaren or Lamborghini.
Aston Martin has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 4,150 cars were sold in 2020 - a third fewer than a year earlier,
although bosses had already said they wanted to sell a smaller number of vehicles in the hope of regaining greater exclusivity for the brand.
Losses before tax in 2020 rose to £466 million compared with a £120 million loss a year earlier.
A BUSINESSMAN accused of murdering his ‘secret’ wife ‘divorced’ her twice in the months before her death, he told a court.
Ameen Thabet is on trial for allegedly killing his lover Najeeba AlAriqy at her home in Sutton Street, Aston, on March 23 last year.
The 50-year-old denied ever having been violent or angry towards the victim as he gave evidence in the witness box at Birmingham Crown Court this week.
Thabet, of West Park Road, Smethwick, denies a charge of murder.
He said he was living a ‘double life’ having not told his first wife about his relationship and marriage to Ms Al-Ariqy, the court heard.
The defendant, who runs Sparkbrook-based Linton Metals, also told the court he ‘taunted’ the victim about having a ‘third wife’, who did not really exist.
Giving evidence for the first time Thabet confirmed he married his first wife in 1993.
He then told the court he began to have romantic feelings for family friend Ms Al-Ariqy in 2017 and developed a relationship with her a year later.
With Islamic custom permitting multiple wives, the defendant confirmed he married Ms Al-Ariqy in a small ceremony in her home on December 4, 2018, without his first wife knowing, the court was told.
“Do you accept your marriage to Najeeba was at that stage kept secret from your wife and children?” asked defence barrister David Walbank, to which Thabet replied ‘yes’ and also agreed he was living a ‘double life’.
But in March 2019 Ms Al-Ariqy asked for a divorce triggering a three-month probation period or ‘cooling off period’, the court heard.
Thabet, explaining how an Islamic divorce takes place, said: “You only have to say the word divorce, in Arabic (talaq), and that was it. The husband has to say it.
“You say it once. You get a probation period of three months. If you reconcile or come together you are husband and wife again. You get three chances. Once you use your third one up there’s no return.
“The woman would have to get married to someone else and get divorced then she can come back.”
Thabet told the court he and Ms
Al-Ariqy did reconcile after the first talaq but had a huge ‘bust-up’ in July 2019 because she was ‘jealous’ he had slept with his first wife.
He claimed he married the deceased on the understanding she would be his ‘second wife’ and he would be allowed to sleep with both.
“We spoke about if she could control her jealousy, we spoke about it on several occasions and she said she could control it,” said Thabet, who then stated Ms Al-Ariqy could not contain her jealous tendencies, the court heard.
The defendant said the row was the ‘biggest bust-up short of a talaq’ and said he ‘taunted’ Ms Al-Ariqy about having ‘freedom’ as well as having sex with an apparent ‘third wife’.
Mr Walbank asked Thabet
if he ever raised his hand, was angry or violent towards the victim, to which he replied ‘no, never’.
The defendant confirmed that after a trip to Yemen Ms Al-Ariqy became ‘distant’ and asked for another ‘talaq’ on September 23, 2019. He told the jury he agreed but they continued to see each other daily, even performing sex acts on each other but did not have intercourse which would have reconciled them.
The accused confirmed they did not formally get back together at the end of that particular probation period on December 23 that year.
Thabet was also quizzed about his finances. He denied prosecution claims he was under ‘severe financial pressure’ and stated he was ‘comfortable’ at the time.
The trial continues.
A RESTAURANT specialising in Turkish, Arabic, Persian and Indian cuisine is set to open in Birmingham city centre later this year.
Qavali, which is named after a style of singing, will occupy a unit at the corner of Broad Street and the Brindleyplace estate and be able to accommodate 250 diners.
Its previous occupant, Coast to Coast, closed last summer after its parent company announced a raft of its group sites had fallen victim to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions.
Qavali is the latest brand to be launched by Solihull-based FB Holdings,
the same company behind restaurants Jamaya, Indico and Perios.
This latest launch comes just a week after South American restaurant Fazenda announced it was closing its doors permanently on its home since 2018 in Colmore Row after undergoing a pre-pack administration deal with its management.
The move saved four of the company’s restaurants but cost 44 jobs at its venue in the heart of the Birmingham business district although the owners have vowed to look for a new location in the city. FB Holdings’ marketing director Deni Sharankova said: “Qavali will offer a dining experience like no other and to bring this vision to life at Brindleyplace is hugely exciting for us.
“Birmingham has an extremely varied culinary scene and we feel Qavali will be able to bring something different and new to foodies throughout the city.
“We can’t wait to open our doors for the first time later this year and hope to be able to welcome our first customers sooner rather than later.”
James Campbell Adamson, asset manager with landlord Hines, added: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer a truly unique dining experience at Brindleyplace and can’t wait to hopefully see Qavali open its doors later this year.
“Brindleyplace has long been established as one of Birmingham’s premier leisure destinations and this deal shows that confidence remains high that the estate remains a top choice for those looking to run successful businesses in the industry.
“We’re looking forward to being able to welcome the public back to the estate when it is safe to do so and to see Qavali thrive and add to our culinary scene.”