Aston Martin

1913: Bamford and Martin Ltd. was founded. The name Aston Martin was coined next year, after the Aston Hill climb.

1947: Aston Martin bought be David Brown Ltd, hence 'DB'.

1950: Aston Martin DB2.

1956-1959: Racing, four DBR1 built.

1957 DBR1

1957: Aston Martin DB3. James Bond 007 drove one of these, from the car pool, in the novel Goldfinger; it morphed into a DB5 in the movie. Bond was a staunch Bentley owner in Fleming's books.

1958: Aston Martin DB4.

1959: The DBR1 won at the Nurburgring, Le Mans & the RAC Tourist Trophy, and took the world sportscar championship.

1963: Aston Martin DB5. Aston Martin is said to have built 1021 DB5s.

1964 DB5

1964: Goldfinger starring Sean Connery as James Bond 007, featured an Aston Martin DB5 with certain "extras" -- rotating number plates, rear bullet-proof screen, instant oil-slick and smoke screen (for pursuers), machine guns, extensible Boadicea-style tyre slashers, and passenger-side ejector seat to get rid of unwanted guests. (The then new Ford Mustang also featured in the movie.) Note that the "real" James Bond of Ian Fleming's books drove the firm's DB3 in the novel and a Bentley in the earlier books.

1965-1970: DB6.

1969: DBS V8.

1977: V8 Vantage.

1980: The grandiose Lagonda produced.

1987: Ford bought 75% of Aston Martin (and eventually took control).

1990: Virage.

1993: V8 Vantage.

1994: Ford bought 100% of Aston Martin.

1994-1999: The DB7 started production with a 3228cc straight-6 super-charged engine, also shared with Jaguar, thanks to common-owner Ford.

1999: DB7 Vantage, a 5935cc V12, 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto..

2000 October: The 6.0 litre V12 Aston Martin Vanquish was released.

Specifications: loa 4665mm, width 1923mm, height 1318mm, wheelbase 2690mm, weight 1820kg.

Engine 5935cc, 60° V12, petrol (95RON) 4-valves/cyl, cr 10.5:1,

power 336kW (450bhp) at 6500rpm, torque 556Nm at 5000rpm,

gearbox 6-speed manual/ electronic, limited slip diff' and traction control,

suspension independent by double wishbones & coil springs front & rear, fuel-tank 80L.

2001: Aston Martin Vanquish V12, ~$400,000.

2001 Vanquish V12

5.9-litre V12, 343kW (450hp), 542Nm, aluminium and carbon fibre bonded monocoque, weight 1835kg, tyres 255/40 ZR 19 (front), 285/40 ZR 19 (rear).

DB8, there is no Aston Martin DB8.

2003 Frankfurt Motor Show: The first outing of the DB9, the first Aston Martin developed at the new Gaydon factory, 5.9-litre V12, 335kW, 570Nm, 1710kg, trans-axle gearbox-diff'.
2004: DB9 in production.

2005: V8 Vantage production.

2006: Bond, James Bond, was back in an Aston Martin - a DBS - in Casino Royale. (A classic DB5 got a bit part too, ditto a Range Rover used for some very bad parking, and even a Ford Mondeo hire car!)

March 2007: Ford, having fallen on hard times, sold most of Aston Martin to a consortium of investors for £475 million.

2007: DBS in production, on sale late 2007,

loa 4721mm, wheelbase 2740mm, width 1905mm (body), height 1280mm, weight 1695kg - 1740kg (auto),

engine 60° V12, 5,935cc, c.r. 10.9:1, petrol, DOHC, 4-valves/cyl., 380kW (510bhp) @6,500rpm, 570Nm (420lb-ft) @5,750rpm,

trans-axle gearbox/diff, 6-speed manual or 6-speed ZF automatic, rear wheel drive,

191mph, 0-60mph in 4.2sec, auto fuel consumption 11.7mpg (urban), 26.8mpg (country), 18.2mpg (combined), CO₂ 370/km,

price: manual £162,500, auto £165,500 [2008].

James Bond 007 drove a DBS in the movie Quantum of Solace (2008).