British brand to cut 600 jobs amid impact of U.S. tariffs and aggressive Chinese competition
The traditional British automaker Aston Martin announced a drastic 20% cut in its global workforce. The move comes after the brand recorded an alarming jump in its losses, driven by the tariff war imposed by the United States and the aggressive advance of Chinese automakers in the market. In practice, the downsizing will result in the dismissal of about 600 of the 3 thousand employees who currently make up the company’s staff.
The scenario reflects a chronic crisis that the luxury vehicle manufacturer — immortalized on movie screens — has been facing for years. The 2025 financial statement exposed the seriousness of the situation: the company’s net loss soared 52% compared to the previous year, reaching the mark of 493.2 million pounds (equivalent to about R$ 3.42 billion).
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In an official statement, the group’s executive director, Adrian Hallmark, justified that the very high luxury segment went through an atypical and turbulent year in 2025. According to the executive, the behavior of high-income consumers has retracted in the face of macroeconomic uncertainties. In addition, rising geopolitical and trade tensions involving powers such as the United States and China continue to reconfigure the automotive sector.
Aston Martin emerged as one of the European automakers most punished by Donald Trump’s aggressive protectionist policy, which even raised the tax on British products to 27%. The impact was immediate: between April and May, the brand’s exports to the lucrative North American market were practically paralyzed waiting for a bilateral agreement. Only in June was the flow resumed, through a maximum annual quota of 100 thousand units and a renegotiated tariff of 10%.
For 2026, the board’s outlook remains cautious. The company projects a still hostile and challenging automotive market, pressured by international economic instability, fluctuations in global demand and the latent risk of new tariff retaliations.
