Tråd: Billede special: 100 år i Aston Martin

Britains mest ikoniske bilproducent fejrer sin hundredårsdag i 2013. Autocar tager et kig tilbage historien om Aston Martin. Oprindeligt indarbejdet som Bamford & Martin, blev Aston Martin grundlagt af Lionel Martin og Robert Bamford på 15 januar 1913. Navnet blev ændret i 1914 efter deres tidlige biler held kæmpede Aston Clinton hillclimb i Buckinghamshire.
Chelsea-baserede virksomheden oparbejdet et ry som udbydere af sport maskiner til racers og entusiaster. 1926 oplevede virksomheden konkurrere i den franske Grand Prix, med to biler med succes fuldfører race.
Det var under David Brown, den britiske industrimand, der har erhvervet Aston Martin i 1947, at virksomheden produceret nogle af sine mest kendte biler. Den første bil at bære DB monicker, DB2, gik i produktion samme år og blev efterfulgt af racerbil DB3, DB4 og DBR1 i 1957, efter at virksomheden flyttede til Newport Pagnell.
I 1960 kom Aston Martin styrker med italienske coachbuilder Zagato oprette DB4GT Zagato, et stærkt modificerede og eksklusive bil, som startede en række skræddersyede design kreationer, der fortsætter den dag i dag.
Internationale mærkebevidsthed velsagtens ikke ankommer indtil 1963, da den nyligt lauched DB5 tog en hovedrolle sammen med Sean Connery i Goldfinger. Siden derefter Aston Martin biler har altid været forbundet med film franchise, gik trods nogle Bond skifte troskab til Lotus og BMW som tiden.
1972 oplevede en ændring af ejerskab og lanceringen af V8. En komplet stil eftersyn for mærket, V8 holdt standarden for britiske bilisme i en ydeevne bil scene i stigende grad domineret af italienerne, nemlig Ferrari bokser og Lamborghini Countach.
Blot tre år senere, Aston Martin skiftede hænder igen, denne gang købt af et konsortium, som søgte at ændre companys formuer af genoplivelse brandet Lagonda som Aston Martin havde erhvervet i 1947. Den slående Aston Martin Lagonda var resultatet – en fremadrettet tænkning bil, med unikke styling og et dashboard komplet med touch-følsomme knapper og elektroniske skærme.
Desværre nogensinde spiraling omkostninger og manglende pålidelighed, Lagonda var et kommercielt flop og Aston Martin igen undergik en ændring af ejerskab, og blev købt af tempo råolie, med Ford tager fuld kontrol af 1993.
Ford genoplivet DB model linje med den svelte DB7, bilen, der startede den nuværende Aston Martin designtema. Oprindeligt lanceret med en seks-cylinder 3. 2-liters motor, det var hensigten at sidde som en entry-level model under 1988 Virage, men blev flagskib med indførelsen af en 5. 9-liters V12 i 1999. Med over 7.000 enheder produceret, er DB7 en af de mest populære Astons marques historie.
Når DB9 blev lanceret i 2004, gengives dens skarpe styling og alene Modernitet øjeblikkeligt DB7 gamle hat. Sin platform er blevet delt ved hver V12 Aston Martin siden, fra det kort sagt levet Virage til den aktuelle flagskib model for CO2-trehjulet fjerde.
2009 så indførelsen af One-77, Astons først skræddersyet supercar. Med 750bhp fra en 7. 3-liters V12, One-77 blev den mest magtfulde naturlig indsugning bil i verden på tidspunktet for lanceringen. Som navnet antyder, blev kun 77 produceret og koster 1. 4 millioner.
I anden ende af skalaen ydeevne forårsagede Cygnet kontroverser, når det blev afsløret i 2011. Hovedsagelig en rebadged Toyota iQ med ændringer af karrosseri og interiør trim, det blev lanceret af virksomheden at vælte gennemsnitlige CO2-emissioner i hele området, at overholde 2012 europæiske forordninger.
Fremtiden ser lys for Aston Martin, med en større aktiepost sælges til de tidligere ejere af Ducati motorcykler. 500m forventes at blive investeret i nye produkter, med en faceliftet Rapide skulle blive afsløret næste år.

Britains most iconic car manufacturer celebrates its centenary in 2013. Autocar takes a look back the history of Aston Martin. Originally incorporated as Bamford & Martin, Aston Martin was founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford on 15 January 1913. The name was changed in 1914 after their early cars successfully campaigned the Aston Clinton hillclimb in Buckinghamshire.
The Chelsea-based the company earned a reputation as providers of sports machines for racers and enthusiasts. 1926 saw the firm compete in the French Grand Prix, with two cars successfully completing the race.
It was under David Brown, the British industrialist who acquired Aston Martin in 1947, that the firm produced some of its most well known cars. The first car to wear the DB monicker, the DB2, entered production the same year and was followed by the DB3, DB4 and DBR1 race car in 1957, after the company relocated to Newport Pagnell.
In 1960 Aston Martin joined forces with Italian coachbuilder Zagato to create the DB4GT Zagato, a highly modified and exclusive car, which started a series of bespoke design creations that continues to this day.
International brand awareness arguably didnt arrive until 1963, when the newly lauched DB5 took a starring role alongside Sean Connery in Goldfinger. Since then Aston Martin cars have forever been linked with the film franchise, despite some Bond switching allegiance to Lotus and BMW as time went on.
1972 saw a change of ownership and the launch of the V8. A complete style overhaul for the brand, the V8 held the standard for British motoring in a performance car scene increasingly dominated by the Italians, namely the Ferrari Boxer and Lamborghini Countach.
Just three years later, Aston Martin changed hands again, this time bought by a consortium which sought to change the companys fortunes by reviving the Lagonda brand, which Aston Martin had acquired in 1947. The striking Aston Martin Lagonda was the result – a forward thinking car, with unique styling and a dashboard complete with touch-sensitive buttons and electronic displays.
Unfortunately, due to ever spiraling costs and a lack of reliability, the Lagonda was a commercial flop and Aston Martin once again underwent a change of ownership, and was bought by Pace Petroleum, with Ford taking full control by 1993.
Ford resurrected the DB model line with the svelte DB7, the car that started the current Aston Martin design theme. Originally launched with a six-cylinder 3. 2-litre engine, it was intended to sit as an entry-level model below the 1988 Virage, but became the flagship model with the introduction of a 5. 9-litre V12 in 1999. With over 7,000 units produced, the DB7 is one of the most popular Astons in the marques history.
When the DB9 was launched in 2004, its crisp styling and sheer modernity instantly rendered the DB7 old hat. Its platform has been shared by every V12 Aston Martin since, from the short lived Virage to the current flagship model the carbon-bodied Vanquish.
2009 saw the introduction of the One-77, Astons first bespoke supercar. With 750bhp from a 7. 3-litre V12, the One-77 was the most powerful naturally aspirated car in the world at the time of its launch. As its name suggests, only 77 were produced and cost 1. 4 million.
At the other end of the performance scale, the Cygnet caused controversy when it was unveiled in 2011. Essentially a rebadged Toyota iQ with modifications to both the bodywork and interior trim, it was launched by the company to bring down average CO2 emissions across the range, to comply with 2012 European regulations.
The future looks bright for Aston Martin, with a major stake being sold to the former owners of Ducati motorcycles. 500m is expected to be invested in new products, with a facelifted Rapide due to be unveiled next year.