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Aston Martin Cars

Well over ninety years old, Aston Martin sports cars still stand proud among the most technologically advanced vehicles in the world. Hand-built to meet the finest standards of workmanship, safety and design, the company understands that their customers want “power, beauty and soul” in their cars. Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, the founders, recognized this specific dream and set out to successfully produce cars that were distinctive in personal tastes and exciting to drive. Today, the Aston Martin is equally as desirable as it was in 1914.

Originally called Bamford and Martin Limited in 1913, the name was officially changed in 1926 to Aston Martin Motors Limited. It was, however, actually conceived in April-May1914 as a result of the successful ascent at the Aston Hill Climb, a famous motoring spot on Lord Rothchild's Estate. Subsequently in 1915, the Aston Martin car was registered. For the next few years the car was raced in different competitions including the 1922 French Grand Prix and the 1928 Le Mans 24 Hours race. As a result of the popularity, incredibly, one-hundred and forty cars where built in 1937.

In 1947, David Brown, a British manufacturer of engineering parts, purchased Aston Martin for just over twenty thousand pounds after seeing an advertisement in the newspaper. Under the company's ownership, Aston Martin was further propelled into the world of racing and several DB models were produced. DB standing for the company name and original, deceased founder, David Brown. To their credit, the DB5 appeared in the James Bond movie, Goldfinger in 1964.

Victor Gauntlett and Pace Petroleum buy the company in 1981 and then in 1983, Gauntlett seeks further financing from the Lavanos shipping family. But in 1987, seventy-five percent of the shares are sold to Ford Motor Company who later obtains a full one-hundred percent ownership in 1994. With the demise of the domestic car industry, Aston Martin is sold to a consortium consisting of private individuals David Richards and John Sinders, and investment houses Investment Dar and Adeem Investment in 2007.

Some interesting milestones for the Aston Martin are:
• 1948 - The Spa Special, an AM two-litre sports car wins the Spa 24 Hours, a yearly endurance race in Belgium
• 2003 - Seven thousandth DB7 is built
• 2006 – Rapide four door coupe concept unveiled at North American International Auto Show in Detroit
• 2006 – Thirty thousandth Aston Martin is built
• 2006 – Casino Royale James Bond movie uses both the original DB5, as well as a new DBS (slight modification on the Vanquish)
• 2006 – Voted UK's coolest brand
• 2009 - Aston Martin One-77 wins the Concorso d'Eleganza Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes
• 2009 – Celebrates fiftieth anniversary of first win at Le Mans 24 Hours

Over the years, Aston Martin has produced many cars, both prototypes and those sold to end users. Following is a list of all models and the years they were manufactured.
• 1921 Aston Martin competition car
• 1939 the Atom ( prototype)
• 1948 AM two- litre
• 1953 DB 2/4 (first 2+2 seater)
• 1955 DB 2/4 Mark II
• 1956 DBR1 race cars
• 1957 DB Mk III
• 1958 DB4
• 1963 DB5
• 1965 DB6
• 1969 DBSV8
• 1977 V8 Vantage
• 1980 Lagonda
• 1990 Virage
• 1994 DB7
• 1996 DB7 Volante
• 1999 V8 Vantage Le Mans
• 2001 V12 Vanquish
• 2002 DB7 Zagato (limited edition)
• 2004 DB9
• 2004 DB9 Volante
• 2004 V12 Vanquish S
• 2006 V8 Vantage N24
• 2006 DBS
• 2009 Aston Martin One-77

Lastly, Aston Martin employs roughly eighteen hundred people in its Gaydon, Warwickshire facility and is represented by over one-hundred and twenty-six dealers worldwide in twenty-seven countries.