Have you ever wondered where the name of the Aston Martin car company originated? Based in Warwickshire, England, the Aston Martin Lagonda Limited luxury car line was named after a mountaineer named Aston Clinton and one of the company’s founding fathers, Lionel Martin. The history of the Aston Martin is quite intriguing, earning esteemed respect as the glamorous automatic selection from the James Bond series of books and movies.

The first mention of the vehicle came in 007’s seventh novel, “Goldfinger” (1964), immediately followed by a big screen projection in the film of the same title. The Aston Martin was then regarded as the company’s car in “GoldenEye” (1995) and its private vehicle in “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997). Other Aston Martin models also appeared in a variety of James Bond films, including Volante and Vantage in “The Living Daylights” (1987), Vanguish in “Die Another Day” (2002). The new DBS even appeared in the latest Bond movie, “Casino Royale” (2006).

The Aston Martins story

The Aston Martin car company was founded in 1913 with the help of Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. The two worked together to produce their first car under the company name, which featured the chassis of a 1908 Isotta-Fraschini and a four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine. Before production of its first car could take place, the company would have to overcome the hurdle of World War I, which had both owners serving their country under different branches of the military. All its machinery was lost in the war effort.

After the war, the company was re-founded in Kensington and revamped with new car designs. In 1920, Bamford left the company and funding began to come from a different source. In 1922, the company produced cars that did quite well at the French Grand Prix, setting records for speed and endurance. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt in 1924 and was bought by Lady Charnwood, only to see failure again in 1925. The factory closed in 1926, prompting Martin to leave the business.

That same year, the company was renamed Aston Martin Motors and received the backing of a variety of wealthy investors. A well-known designer was hired and racers such as the 1929 Aston Martin International, Le Mans and Ulster were quite successful. It wasn’t until 1936 that the company decided to produce cars that were suitable for the road.

World War II slowed production, but in 1947, the company underwent another leadership change. The cars now bore the signature letters of “DB”, marking the initials of the managing director, David Brown. Several DB series cars flourished, from the DB2 in 1950 to the DB V8 of the 1970s. The V8 lasted until 1988 until the Virage line was introduced, followed by the Vantage in 1992. Several other models would follow, including the V12 Vantage (1999), V12-powered Vanquish (2001), DB9 Volante convertible (2004), and 2006 V8 Vantage sports car.

Aston Martin cars

Throughout the history of Aston Martin vehicles, many different GTs and supercars from before and after the war have been introduced to the public. Before the war, the company was responsible for models such as the Aston Martin Standard Sports (1921-1925), the Aston Martin International Le Mans (1932) and the Aston Martin 15/98 (1937-1939). After the war passed, a large number of “DB” series cars were created, including the Aston Martin 2-Liter Sports (aka DB1; 1948-1950), Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (1961-1963) , Aston Martin DB7 (1993-2003) and 2004 Aston Martin DB9.

Supercars, such as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, hit the market from 1977 to 1989, which was named Britain’s first supercar. It was valued for its ability to reach speeds of up to 170 mph. During the 90s, the Aston Martin Virage, Aston Martin Vantage and Aston Martin V8 Coupe / V8 Volante were the best. With the Virage, the public embraced the possibilities of a sleeker, more modern design and improved acceleration.

Currently, consumers can buy Aston Martin cars, such as the V8 Vantage and the V8 Vantage Roadster, which is a light but quite strong vehicle. The DB9 and DB9 Volante are also on the market, offering buyers the optional Sport Pack upgrade. The Vanguish S is also available today, which can reach a top speed of 200 mph.

The future of Aston Martin cars

Numerous prototypes have been created over the years, including the 1980 Aston Martin Bulldog and the 1993 Lagonda Vignale. A recent concept has emerged for the company, which comes in the form of the Aston Martin Rapide. This model is likely to become the last of the car line, offering a longer Grand Tourer styling that seats four. Perhaps, you can even see the limited edition line of the Aston Martin DBS that was featured in the movie Casino Royale (there are only 300 of these).