All you need to know about Aston Martin.
Date of birth: 1914
Nationality: British
The name came by combining a famous competitive event in which founder Lionel Martin had great success with his prototype sports cars, the Aston Clinto Hill Climb. In the ethos of "a car for the discerning owner/driver with fast touring in mind", Astons were hand-built and raced successfully through the 1920s and '30s, though the commercial side of the operation wasn't nearly so well managed, and the company went through liquidation and several different owners.
Some of the best-known models up to the outbreak of the second Wrold War were the "Bunny" that broke world records at Brooklands in 1922, and the International of 1930 which set the standards of roadholding and handling which typified pre-war Astons and in which two successive Le Mans events were won. After the war the company went back into production, but again hit financial difficulties and was bought by industrialist David Brown in 1947. His automotive interest also caused him to buy the Lagonda Motor Company, which had a highly-considered 2.6-litre straight-six engine.
In 1948, the first in what was to become the trademark model designation of Aston Martin cars was produced, the DB1, the nomenclature based on the initials of the owner. It was however, underpowered, and when the DB2 was produced in 1950, it had the better 2.6-litre, outputting 105 bhp.Another DB was being produced at the same time specifically for racing purposes, the DB3, which later evolved into the DB3S and is widely considered to be the most successful racing Aston of all time.
Evolving from the 4-seater DB2-4, the next passenger car, the DB4, was introduced in 1958, powered by a three-litre engine, and a short wheelbase version for racing, the DB4-GT was produced the following year. In 1960, the Zagato design house built special bodies for these cars aimed directly at the contemporary racetrack favourite, the Ferrari 250 GTs.
The DB5 was introduced in 1963, with a four-litre engine, and was to become world famous by association with James Bond in the Thunderball and Goldfinger movies. In 1965 the DB6 replaced it, and was probably the most successful Aston prior to the acquisition of 75 per cent of the company by Ford in 1987. Along the road, Aston had a succession of different owners and produced a number of other models which have gone into the legend of the brand - including DBS and Vantage. Among the rarest of these was the 1986 Vantage Zagato which could do 300 km/h.
The DB7 was the first Aston designed to be affordable by a wider group of car owners and it has been the most successful car of the company's history, accounting for a quarter of all cars produced. But Aston Martin as a brand is still exclusive, as only 16,000 have been built since the foundation of the company. The latest is the DB7 GT, a 435 bhp car that belies the 10-year age of the DB7.
Best Car: The 1958 DB4, to aficionados, the definitive classical GT.
Worst Car: The underpowered DB1. . . but it bred a famous name.
Weirdest Car: The 1939 Atom concept.