Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin
This article is outdated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2014)
Type
Industry
Automobile manufacturing
Founded
London, 1913
Founder
Lionel Martin
Robert Bamford
Headquarters
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Ulrich Bez, Non-Executive Chairman
Products
Automobiles
Revenue
Net income
Owner
Investindustrial (37.5%)[3]
David Richards
Daimler AG (5%)[5]
Number of employees
1,250 (2010)[6]
Subsidiaries
Aston Martin Racing (50%)
Lagonda (100%)
astonmartin.com
Website
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. It
was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford.
The firm became associated with luxury grand touring cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and with the
fictional character James Bondfollowing his use of a DB5 model in the 1964 film Goldfinger.
The company has had a chequered financial history, including bankruptcy in the 1970s, but has also
enjoyed long periods of success and stability, including under the ownership of David Brown, from
1947 to 1972 and of the Ford Motor Company from 1994 to 2007.
In March 2007, a consortium of investors, led by David Richards, purchased 92% of Aston Martin for
479 million, with Ford retaining a 40 million stake. David Richards became chairman of Aston
Martin. In December 2012, the Italian private equity fund Investindustrial signed a deal to buy 37.5%
of Aston Martin, investing 150 million as a capital increase.
[7]
[8]
[9][10]
Contents
[hide]
1 History
1.1 Founding
2 Models
2.3 Other
3 Motorsport
4 Sponsorships
5 See also
6 Notes
7 External links
History
Founding
Aston Martin was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. The two had joined forces
as Bamford & Martin the previous year to sell cars made by Singer from premises in Callow Street,
London where they also serviced GWK and Calthorpe vehicles. Martin raced specials at Aston
Hill near Aston Clinton, and the pair decided to make their own vehicles. The first car to be
named Aston Martinwas created by Martin by fitting a four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine to the
chassis of a 1908 Isotta-Fraschini.
[11]
[12]
[13][14]
They acquired premises at Henniker Mews in Kensington and produced their first car in March
1915. Production could not start because of the outbreak of World War I, and Martin joined
the Admiralty and Bamford the Royal Army Service Corps. All machinery was sold to theSopwith
Aviation Company.
[15]
The pair had planned to sell their engine to motor manufacturers, but having heard that the Aston
Martin was no longer in production realised they could capitalise on its reputation to jump start the
production of a completely new car.
Between 1926 and 1937 Bertelli was both technical director and designer of all new Aston Martins,
since known as "Bertelli cars". They included the 1-litre "T-type", "International", "Le Mans", "MKII"
and its racing derivative, the "Ulster", and the 2-litre 15/98 and its racing derivative, the "Speed
Model". Most were open two-seater sports cars bodied by Bert Bertelli's brother Enrico (Harry), with
a small number of long-chassis four-seater tourers, dropheads and saloons also produced.
Bertelli was a competent driver keen to race his cars, one of few owner/manufacturer/drivers. The
"LM" team cars were very successful in national and international motor racing including at Le Mans
and the Mille Miglia.
Financial problems reappeared in 1932. The company was rescued for a year by L. Prideaux Brune
before passing it on to Sir Arthur Sutherland. In 1936, Aston Martin decided to concentrate on road
cars, producing just 700 until World War II halted work. Production shifted to aircraft components
during the war.
In 1947, tractor manufacturer David Brown Limited bought the company under the leadership of
managing director Sir David Brownits "post-war saviour". The company also
acquired Lagonda that year for its 2.6-litre W. O. Bentley-designed engine. Both companies shared
resources and workshops, birthing the classic "DB" series of cars. In 1950, the company announced
the DB2, followed by the DB2/4 in 1953, the DB2/4 MkII in 1955, the DB Mark III in 1957 and the
Italian-styled 3.7 L DB4 in 1958.
While these models helped Aston Martin establish a good racing pedigree, the DB4 stood out and
yielded the famous DB5 in 1963. The company stayed true to its emerging "grand touring" style with
the DB6 (196570), and DBS (19671972).
The six-cylinder engines of these cars from 1954 up to 1965 were designed by Tadek Marek.
1970schanging ownership
The Aston Martin company was often financially troubled. In 1972, the firm was sold to Company
Developments, a Birmingham-based consortium chaired by William Wilson, MBE.
[16]
The company was resold in 1975 by its receiver following a further bankruptcy to North American
businessmen Peter Sprague and George Minden for 1.05 million. A successful turn-around
strategy led to the recruitment of 360 new employees and, by 1977, a trading profit of 750,000.
The new owners pushed the company into modernising its line, producing the V8 Vantage in 1977,
the convertible Volante in 1978, and the one-off William Towns-styled Bulldog in 1980. Towns also
styled the futuristic new Lagondasaloon, based on the V8 model.
[17]
[17]
In 1980 Aston-Martin sought to buy MG, planning to design a new model and offering their take on
an updated 1981 model MGB. The acquisition never developed, as the company was badly hit by
the economic contraction of the early 1980s. Worldwide sales shrank to three cars per week,
prompting chairman Alan Curtis, Sprague, and Minden to consider shutting down production to
concentrate on service and restoration. At this point Curtis attended the 1980 Pace
sponsored Stirling Moss benefit day at Brands Hatch, and met fellow Farnham resident Victor
Gauntlett.
1980sVictor Gauntlett
Gauntlett bought a 12.5% stake in Aston Martin for 500,000 via Pace Petroleum in 1980, with Tim
Hearley of CH Industrials taking a similar share. Pace and CHI took over as joint 50/50 owners at the
beginning of 1981, with Gauntlett as executive chairman. Gauntlett also led the sales team, and after
some development and publicity when it became the world's fastest 4-seater production car, was
able to sell the Aston Martin Lagonda in Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.
[18]
In 1982, Aston Martin was granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment by the Prince of Wales.
company holds the warrant to this day.
[citation needed]
The
Understanding that it would take some time to develop new Aston Martin products, they created an
engineering service subsidiary to develop automotive products for other companies. It was decided
to use the name of the coachbuilding company Tickford which Aston Martin had owned since 1955,
the name being already associated with quality cars in the public perception. Products included a
Tickford Austin Metro, a Tickford Ford Capri and even Tickford train interiors, particularly on
the Jaguar XJS. Pace continued sponsoring racing events, and now sponsored all Aston Martin
Owners Club events, taking a Tickford-engined Nimrod Group C car owned by AMOC
President Viscount Downe, which came third in the Manufacturers Championship in both 1982 and
1983. It also finished seventh in the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans race. However, sales of production
cars were now at an all-time low of 30 cars produced in 1982.
[18]
[18]
As trading became tighter in the petroleum market, and Aston Martin was requiring more time and
money, Gauntlett agreed to sell Hays/Pace to the Kuwait Investment Office in September 1983. As
Aston Martin required greater investment, he also agreed to sell his share holding to American
importer and Greek shipping tycoon Peter Livanos, who invested via his joint venture company with
Nick and John Papanicolaou, ALL Inc. Gauntlett remained chairman of the AML company 55%
owned by ALL, with Tickford a 50/50 venture between ALL and CHI. The uneasy relationship was
ended when ALL exercised options to buy a larger share in AML; CHI's residual shares were
exchanged for CHI's complete ownership of Tickford, which retained development of existing Aston
Martin projects. In 1984, Titan the main shipping company of the Papanicolaou's was in trouble, so
Livanos's father George bought out the Papanicolaou's shares in ALL, while Gauntlett again became
a shareholder with a 25% holding in AML. The deal valued Aston Martin/AML at 2 million, the year it
built its 10,000th car.
[18]
Although as a result Aston Martin had to make 60 members of the workforce redundant, Gauntlett
bought a stake in Italian styling house Zagato, and resurrected its collaboration with Aston Martin.
In 1986, Gauntlett negotiated the return of fictional British secret agent James Bond to Aston
Martin. Cubby Broccoli had chosen to recast the character using actor Timothy Dalton, in an attempt
to re-root the Bond-brand back to a more Sean Connery-like feel. Gauntlett supplied his personal
pre-production Vantage for use in the filming of The Living Daylights, and sold a Volante to Broccoli
for use at his home in America. Gauntlett turned down the role of a KGB colonel in the film, however:
"I would have loved to have done it but really could not afford the time."
[19]
The company needed funds to survive in the long term. In May 1987, Gauntlett and Prince Michael
of Kent were staying at the home of Contessa Maggi, the wife of the founder of the original Mille
Miglia, while watching the revival event. Another house guest was Walter Hayes, vice-President
of Ford of Europe. Despite problems over the previous acquisition of AC Cars, Hayes saw the
potential of the brand and the discussion resulted in Ford taking a share holding in September 1987.
In 1988, having produced some 5,000 cars in 20 years, a revived economy and successful sales of
limited edition Vantage, and 52 Volante Zagato coupes at 86,000 each; the company finally retired
the ancient V8 and introduced the Virage rangethe first new Aston launched in 20 years.
[20]
Although Gauntlett was contractually to stay as chairman for two years, his racing interests took
Aston back into sports car racing in 1989 with limited European success. However, with engine rule
changes for the 1990 season and the launch of the new Aston Martin Volante model, Ford provided
the limited supply of Cosworth engines to the Jaguar carsracing team. As the "small Aston"
DB7 would require a large engineering input, Ford agreed to take full control of Aston Martin, and
Gauntlett handed over the company chairmanship to Hayes in 1991. In 1992, the Vantage version
was announced, and the following year the company renewed the DB range by announcing the DB7.
[21]
Ford era
Ford placed Aston in the Premier Automotive Group, invested in new manufacturing and ramped up
production. In 1994, Ford opened a new factory at Banbury Road in Bloxham. In 1995, the company
produced a record 700 vehicles. Until the Ford era, cars had been produced by hand coachbuilding
craft methods, such as the English wheel. In 1998 the 2,000th DB7 was built, and in 2002 the
6,000th, exceeding production of all previous DB models. The DB7 range was boosted by the
addition of V12 Vantage models in 1999, and in 2001 the company introduced the V12engined Aston Martin Vanquish.
At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan in 2003, Aston Martin introduced
the AMV8 Vantage concept car. Expected to have few changes before its introduction in 2005, the
Vantage brought back the classic V8 engine to allow the company to compete in a larger market.
2003 also saw the opening of the Gaydon factory, the first purpose-built factory in Aston Martin's
history. Also introduced in 2003 was the DB9 coup, which replaced the ten-year-old DB7.
A convertible version of the DB9, the DB9 Volante, was introduced at the 2004 Detroit Auto Show.
In October 2004, the company set up the dedicated 12,500 square metres
(135,000 sq ft) AMEP engine production plant within the Ford Germany Niehl, Cologne plant. With
capacity to produce up to 5,000 engines a year by 100 specially trained personnel, like traditional
Aston Martin engine production from Newport Pagnell, assembly of each unit is entrusted to a single
technician from a pool of 30, with V8 and V12 variants assembled in under 20 hours. By bringing
engine production back to within the company, the promise was that Aston Martin would be able to
produce small runs of higher performance variants engines. This expanded engine capacity
allowed in 2006, the V8 Vantage sports car to enter production at the Gaydon factory, joining the
DB9 and DB9 Volante.
[22]
In December 2003 Aston Martin announced it would return to motor racing in 2005. A new division
was created, called Aston Martin Racing, which became responsible, together with Prodrive, for the
design, development, and management of the DBR9 program. The DBR9 competes in the GT class
in sports car races, including the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In 2006, an internal audit led Ford to consider divesting itself of parts of its Premier Automotive
Group. After suggestions of selling Jaguar Cars, Land Rover, or Volvo Cars were weighed, Ford
announced in August 2006 it had engaged UBS AG to sell all or part of Aston Martin at auction.
[23]
[25][26]
[27]
To demonstrate the V8 Vantage's durability across hazardous terrain and promote the car in China,
the first east-west crossing of the Asian Highway was undertaken between June and August 2007. A
pair of Britons drove 12,089 km (7,512 miles) from Tokyo to Istanbul before joining the European
motorway network for another 3,259 km (2,025 miles) to London. The promotion was so successful
the company opened dealerships in Shanghai and Beijing within three months.
[28]
On 19 July 2007, the Newport Pagnell plant rolled out the last of nearly 13,000 cars made there
since 1955, a Vanquish S. The Tickford Street facility was converted to Aston Martin's service and
restoration department. UK production is now concentrated at Gaydon on the former RAF Vbomber airfield. In March 2008 the company announced a partnership with Magna Steyr to
outsource manufacture of over 2,000 cars annually to Graz, Austria, reassuringly stating: "The
continuing growth and success of the company is based upon Gaydon as the focal point and heart of
the business, with the design and engineering of all Aston Martin products continuing to be carried
out there."
[29]
[30]
[31]
More dealers in Europe and the new pair in China brought the total to 120 in 28 countries.
[32]
On 1 September 2008, Aston Martin announced the revival of the Lagonda marque, proposing a
concept to be shown in 2009 to coincide with the brand's 100th anniversary. The first production cars
are slated for 2012.
[33]
In December 2008, Aston Martin announced it would cut its workforce from 1,850 to 1,250.
[6]
The first four-door Aston Martin Rapide sports cars rolled out of the Magna Steyr factory in Graz,
Austria in 2010. The contract manufacturer provides dedicated facilities to ensure compliance with
the exacting standards of Aston Martin and other marques, including Mercedes-Benz. Ulrich Bez has
publicly speculated about outsourcing all of Aston Martin's operations with the exception of
marketing. In September 2011 it was announced Rapide production would be returned to Gaydon
in the second half of 2012, restoring all manufacture there.
[34]
[35]
[36]
[9][10][39][40]
[41]
[42]
[43]
Models
Pre-war cars
19361940 Aston Martin 2-litre Speed Models (23 built) The last 8 were fitted with C-type
bodywork
[45]
Other
Current models
DB9
[48]
[49]
[50]
[49]
[46][47]
Rapide S
19892000Virage/V8/Vantage
Motorsport
Part of Aston Martin's current racing program, Charouz Racing Systemcompetes with sports prototypepowered by an Aston Martin V12
1959
Chassis
Aston
Martin
DBR4
Engine
Aston
Martin L6
Tyres
Avon
Dunlop
Driver
MON
500
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
POR
ITA
USA
Roy
Salvadori
Ret
Ret
Carr
oll Shelby
Ret
Ret
10
GBR
POR
ARG
1960
Aston
Martin
DBR5
Aston
Martin L6
Dunlop
MON
500
NED
BEL
FRA
Roy
Salvadori
Ret
Ma
urice
Trintignant
11
ITA
10
Points
WCC
5th
8th
USA
Pos
Class
No
Team
Drivers
Chassis
Engine
Laps
1931
1.5
25
Aston Martin
1932
1.5
20
A.C. Bertelli
Maurice Harvey
Sammy Newsome
Henken Widengren
1.5
21
1.5
25
1.5
24
10
1.5
20
M.R.E. Tongue
11
1.5
24
1.5
29
Roy Eccles
1.5
33
Maurice Faulkner
10
1.5
32
C.T. Thomas
11
1.5
31
P.L. Donkin
A.C. Bertelli
Pat Driscoll
Pat Driscoll
1933
1934
Clifton PennHughes
A.C. Bertelli
Sammy Davis
Reggie Tongue
Maurice Faulkner
139
174
168
188
174
188
180
215
202
199
199
Charles E.C.
1935
Martin
Charles
Brackenbury
Maurice Faulkner
Tom Clarke
C.T. Thomas
M. Kenyon
Peter Donkin
Lord Malcolm
Douglas-Hamilton
Jim Elwes
12
1.5
27
15
1.5
30
R.P. Gardner
1.5
37
J.M. Skeffington
11
2.0
31
C.T. Thomas
1939
12
2.0
29
1949
S
2.0
27
Arthur Jones
11
S
2.0
29
Robert Lawrie
S
3.0
19
S
3.0
21
S
3.0
26
S
3.0
25
1937
1950
1951
Robert Peverell
Hichens
Mortimer MorrisGoodall
R.P. Gardner
A.C. Belo
J.M. Skeffington
R.C. Murton-Neale
Mortimer MorrisGoodall
Robert P. Hichens
Robert P. Hichens
Mortimer MorrisGoodall
Arthur Jones
Nick Haines
Robert Lawrie
Robert W. Walke
George Abecassis
Lance Macklin
Charles
Brackenbury
Reg Parnell
Lance Macklin
Eric Thompson
196
190
205
193
199
207
249
244
257
255
George Abecassis
Brian ShaweTaylor
S
3.0
24
10
S
3.0
28
N.H. Mann
13
S
3.0
27
P.T.C. Clark
1952
S
3.0
32
1955
S
3.0
23
1957
11
S
3000
21
David Brown
S
3000
1959
S
3.0
David
Brown Racing Dept.
S
3.0
David
Brown Racing Dept.
S
3.0
252
Mortimer MorrisGoodall
236
James ScottDouglas
233
Peter Clark
Mike Keen
248
Peter Collins
302
Stirling Moss
Peter Collins
299
Jean-Paul Colas
272
293
Aston Martin
DBR1/300
323
Aston Martin
DBR1/300
322
Aston Martin
DBR1/300
306
Aston Martin
281
Jean Kerguen
1958
Paul Frre
S
3.0
S
3.0
Peter Clark
David Hampshire
Nigel Mann
1956
1960
Reg Parnell
Border Reivers
Graham Whitehead
Peter Whitehead
Carroll Shelby
Roy Salvadori
Maurice
Trintignant
Paul Frre
Roy Salvadori
Jim Clark
Ian B. Baillie
Jack Fairman
1977
17
GTP
83
SAS Robin
Hamilton
1982
32
Viscount
Downe Pace Petroleum
1983
17
41
1985
11
C1
66
1989
11
C1
18
EMKA Productions
Ltd.
EMKA Productions,
Ltd.
Aston Martin
Ecurie Ecosse
2005
GT1
59
Aston Martin
Racing
2006
GT1
007
Aston Martin
Racing
10
GT1
GT1
62
009
Aston Martin
Racing
Robin Hamilton
David Preece
Mike Salmon
DBR1/300
260
Nimrod NRA/C2
317
EMKA C83/1
275
EMKA C84/1
338
340
333
350
343
342
Ray Mallock
Simon Phillips
Mike Salmon
Tiff Needell
Steve O'Rourke
Nick Faure
Tiff Needell
Steve O'Rourke
Nick Faure
Brian Redman
Michael Roe
Costas Los
David Brabham
Stphane Sarrazin
Darren Turner
Tom Enge
Darren Turner
Andrea Piccini
Antonio Garca
David Brabham
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Pedro Lamy
Stphane Sarrazin
Stphane Ortelli
2007
2008
GT1
GT1
GT1
GT1
GT1
009
008
007
009
007
David Brabham
Aston Martin
Racing
AMR Larbre
Comptition
Darren Turner
343[51]
341[51]
337[51]
344
339
Lola-Aston Martin
B09/60
373
Lola-Aston Martin
B09/60
342
294
Lola-Aston Martin
B09/60
365
311
Rickard Rydell
Casper Elgaard
Johnny Herbert
Fabrizio Gollin
Tom Enge
Aston Martin
Racing
Johnny Herbert
Aston Martin
Racing
Darren Turner
Aston Martin
Racing
Peter Kox
David Brabham
Antonio Garcia
Heinz-Harald
Frentzen
Andrea Piccini
Karl Wendlinger
Tom Enge
2009
LMP1
007
AMR Eastern
Europe
Jan Charouz
Stefan Mcke
13
LMP1
008
Anthony Davidson
Aston Martin
Racing
Darren Turner
Jos Verstappen
Lukas Lichtner3
GT1
66
Jetalliance Racing
Hoyer
Thomas Gruber
Alex Mller
2010
LMP1
007
Aston Martin
Racing
Harold Primat
Adrin Fernndez
Stefan Mcke
GT1
52
Tom Enge
Christoffer Nygaard
Peter Kox
2011
2012
2013
LMP1
GTEPro
GTEPro
22
97
97
Kronos Racing
Vanina Ickx
Bas Leinders
Team
Maxime Martin
Aston Martin
Racing
Adrin Fernndez
Aston Martin
Racing
Peter Dumbreck
Darren Turner
Lola-Aston Martin
B09/60
328
Aston Martin V8
Vantage GTE
332
Aston Martin V8
Vantage GTE
314
Aston Martin V8
Vantage GTE
301
Stefan Mcke
Darren Turner
Stefan Mcke
Roald Goethe
6
GTEAm
96
Sponsorships
Aston Martin
Racing
Jamie CampbellWalter
Stuart Hall