As a refined and luxurious coupe, the Audi 100s launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1969, had few peers in the 2 liter class in the early 1970s. With a top speed of 112 mph (179 km/h) and doing 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 10 seconds, the Mercedes designed , in line, 113 bhp, [...]

Ford took the complete control of Aston Martin in 1994, having helped see the Jaguar based DB& into production. However, Aston’s hand built flagship vehicle at the time was the Virage/ V8 series, which had been in production since 1989. So, in the mid 90s and with the global economy to pick up Ford decided [...]

The launch of the 6.0n liter V12 DB9 can be regarded as marking the ground up rebuilding of Aston Martin. In 2000 Aston martin got new chief executive in the shape of Dr Ulrich Bez, who had previously been research and development of Porsche. Bez halted work a new compact, mid engine Aston Martin and [...]

After standing back and watching the troubled development of the Virage/Vantage and with a recession starting to bite as the 1980s gave way to the 1990s, Ford decided to take Aston Martin under its experience wing. Aston’s new owner felt it needed a ‘cheap’ accessible car that would compete with top range Mercedes models. Despite [...]

Aston Martin finally surrendered its independence in 1987 when the giant multi national Ford bought a controlling share of the company. Despite what some loyal followers of the form thought would happen, this takeover actually had little noticeable impact on the often extremely chaotic nature of Aston’s new car development. Sadly, part of this was [...]

An extensive, 50 off, one chance only supercar, the Aston Martin V8 Zagato had its place in the sun in the mid to late 1980s. it made headlines as the fastest Aston ever at 186 mph (298 km/h), and the company’s first two seater since the DB4 GT. Even at $70,000 each, the whole production [...]

The lagonda saloon, which completely dominated the 1976 Earl’s Court Motor Show, could have been beamed down form another planet. Low and razor edged, it was a show stopper and just the publicity grabber that troubled Aston Martin needed. The 170 deposits that were taken at the show pulled the company back from the brink [...]

By 1965 the lithe and elegant Aston Martin DB4, via the more refined and faster DB5, had become the bigger heavier and more brutal DB6. It was a car that almost forced you to admire it instead of charming you with its refined elegance as its predecessor had been renowned for doing, but it was [...]

Tractor tycoon David Brown bought the ailing sports car maker Aston Martin in 1947, but had something of false start with under powered four cylinders Aston Martin DB1 of 1948. He more than redeemed himself, however, with the DB2 of 1950, a car that set the pace for all subsequent Astons. Here was a luxurious [...]

The Star Sapphire was easily the best car that Armstrong Siddeley of Coventry ever made, although it was only in production of one year, it is a car that has gone down in automotive history and passed into legend among car enthusiasts. It is one of those vehicles that truly deserve the lable ‘classic’. Derived [...]