The latest James Bond and the latest Aston Martin

The shift will be gradual over the next decade, an Aston Martin spokesman told BBC News Online.

The car maker will set up a new manufacturing plant at the former British Leyland research and development centre in Warwickshire.

There it will produce the successors to its DB7 and Vanquish models, as well as a new entry level model, the spokesman said.

This is also where Ford aims to consolidate research and development (R&D) facilities for its Premier Automotive Group brands, including Volvo and Land Rover.

Jaguar's R&D will not move to Gaydon because it has already invested heavily in its existing facilities.

Safe jobs

The 600 people who work in the factories in Newport Pagnel and Bloxham in the Midlands will be offered the chance to move with the car maker.

The original Ford GT40 was only 40 inches tall; the new one will add 10%

"It's only 20 minutes down the road," the spokesman said.

Then, when car production eventually ends at the two existing factories, the Newport Pagnell will retain a service and repair function while the Bloxham factory may become a motor sport centre.

Moving the factories to one site is part of a major restructuring of the sports car maker.

"We need to grow... to survive," the spokesman said.

Revival

Ford's approach to marketing and sales may be modern, but Aston Martin's choice of flag ship model is anchored firmly in the past.

Under the leadership of the former BMW and Porsche engineer, chief executive Ulrich Bez, the company is expected to revive the image of its James Bond-mobile, the DB5, with its new entry level model, currently code named AM305.

The AM305 will be produced alongside the successors to its current model, the Vanquish, which will appear along with the other star of the next James Bond movie, Pierce Brosnan.

The relaunch of the DB5, made famous by the Goldfinger movie, will fit snugly with another Ford relaunch, namely that of the Ford GT40 sports car which will be built to celebrate the car maker's 100th anniversary in 2003.