Aston Martin can still sell its DB9 and Vantage models in the United States as the NHTSA has granted the British carmaker a temporary exemption to new safety rules.
If the rules were applied, Aston Martin would have had to stop selling the Vantage and DB9 in the US, one of its key markets. Aston Martin applied for a temporary exemption to side-impact federal safety standards in March, arguing that the rules would cause “substantial economic hardship.”
On Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it would allow the brand more time to comply due to the niche nature of its business.
“The basis for the grant is that compliance would cause substantial economic hardship to a low volume manufacturer that has tried in good faith to comply with the standard,” NHTSA said in a statement. The organization has introduced requirements for side air bags and other safety advances since 2010.
According to the decision, coupe versions of the Aston Martin DB9 and Vantage will be exempt to the new rules until the end of August 2016 for the former and an extra year for the latter.
Convertible versions of both models would not have been affected by the same rules until September 2015, but the cars have now been exempted until the end of August 2017.
Had it not been for NHTSA’s decision, Aston Martin would have lost up to 670 sales over three years in the US.
Story references: Reuters
PHOTOS
