Overview & Reviews

Born in England, Aston Martin makes cars that place equal emphasis on high-thrill performance and discreet British elegance. The manufacturer's lineup is small and highly specialized; you'll only find sports cars on the Aston Martin roster. Still, the brand has made an incredible name for itself, and is known worldwide as a purveyor of sleek, top-of-the-line, road-hugging machinery.

Founders Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford started Aston Martin in 1914. The two had seen some success selling Singer racing cars, but wanted to craft their own vehicles, with an emphasis on sophistication and refinement. The brand took its name from co-founder Martin and the Aston Clinton Hill Climb, where the duo's Singer cars had competed.

Originally, Aston Martin was known chiefly in racing circles. By the 1920s, the brand had made its first appearance overseas, participating in the French Grand Prix; it also participated in the Le Mans 24-hour race. The marque saw its share of financial difficulties during the '20s and '30s, undergoing numerous changes in ownership. Still, it made a name for itself with popular racing cars like the streamlined 1934 Ulster.

The postwar years saw the brand change hands once again. Aston Martin was sold to David Brown, an industrialist with a successful tractor company. After purchasing the company in 1947, he set his sights on developing new models. The first was the DB1 (named after his own initials), introduced in 1948. It was soon followed by the DB2 and DB3.

The 1950s saw Aston Martin establishing itself as a winner on the track, with the DB2 placing in its class at Le Mans. As the decade drew to a close, the brand had launched yet another model -- the DB4 -- and scored wins at the World Sports Car Championship, the Nürburgring and the RAC Tourist Trophy.

During the 1960s, Aston Martin began production on the DB5. The low-slung coupe looked glamorous enough to be in the movies, and soon it was; the DB5 was the vehicle of choice for Sean Connery's James Bond in 1964's Goldfinger. By the time the '60s came to a close, the Aston Martin family had grown to include the DB6 (which stands as the first four-seater produced by the marque) and DBS V8.

The 1970s were a rough decade for Aston Martin. The brand was sold by David Brown in 1972, and then once again was passed from owner to owner. Still, a new model, the V8 Vantage, was launched in 1977. Ten years later, Ford Motor Company purchased Aston Martin and invested millions in research and development in hopes of restoring the brand to its former glory.

By the 1990s, Ford's considerable efforts had begun to pay off. The handsome DB7 debuted mid-decade and was a hit with both critics and buyers. Aston Martin's fortunes continued to soar in the 2000s, with the launch of the successful V12 Vanquish, the DB9 and the V8 Vantage. Still, subsequent financial trouble at Ford led to the sale of Aston Martin in 2007 to a group of investors, which include a pair of Kuwaiti investment companies.

Aston's recent models include the exotic DBS (a more muscular version of the DB9), the four-door, four-seat Rapide, the Virage (which slots in between the DB9 and DBS) and a pair of ultra-low-production sports cars — the V12 Zagato (named after the design house that penned its body) and the One-77 (only 77 produced with a price of nearly $2 million each). As you'd guess by now, the current Aston Martin lineup comprises some of the world's most desirable cars.

User Reviews:

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  The DB9 volante is a 10 - 2005 Aston Martin DB9
  By antoniodelgad68 - December 21 - 12:20 am

  I purchased this car with 1200 miles and it has been a joy, the power prestige and comfort are beyond reproach. If you want a quality super car, this is the one, you cant go wrong. TD

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  The very best. - 2003 Aston Martin DB7
  By Brit. - October 10 - 2:00 am

  You cannot get any better than the Aston Martin.It drives great,its fast when you need it,It is just full of class. Thank you Aston Martin for giving so much pleasure, to so many lucky people.

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  great best yet! - 2002 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
  By tony r. - August 8 - 2:00 am

  i thought my ferrari and rolls were the kings but i was wrong its no where near compared to them even though i treasure them. this car is fast reliable comfortable and turns heads its an honor to see one! overall this is the best of aston martin yet

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  Vanquish - 2006 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
  By steve mann - July 24 - 8:10 pm

  This is a phenomenal sports car and handles beautifully.

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  Exclusive!!! - 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
  By Vasi - April 9 - 6:33 am

  I am another Porsche guy that switched to Aston. The last 10 years I had 5 different Porsches including the latest 997 C2S. Exclusivity is the key. Porsches are extremely common and Astons are so special. I know there is a lot of talk about reliability issues but the moment you hear the engine sound above 4000 rpm you forget about all the bad things and you get big satisfaction without even the need to go fast. A very cool car, no doubt!

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  Best fun on wheels! - 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
  By Petter - April 4 - 7:13 am

  I took delivery in May and have had my best driving experiences ever since then. The looks of this car gets almost too much attention, but it is always a thumbs up.

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  My Aston - 2004 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
  By Legacy - March 31 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!! no other explanation needed.

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  Love that V8 Vantage - 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
  By bob garvey - March 31 - 1:33 am

  I have to say I love pushing the crystal ignition button, hearing the gutteral vroom that gets me on my way. I love the looks and drive of this vehicle. I previously drove a BMW 540i and I currently also own a Dodge Viper. Have had no major problems with the vehicle.

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  vanquish... - 2002 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
  By kaseyllynn - March 4 - 10:00 am

  awesome, fun to drive, always getting attention for people passing by. its great!

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  More like Vanish - 2002 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
  By Meric - February 25 - 10:00 am

  Having such an exceptional piece of art with functionality in your hands while driving is so exhilarating. Most people would be lucky to even get a glimpse of this vehicle. With such style and grace, it is the most extraordinary vehicle I have ever owned and is one of my top prized positions along with my McLaren F1 95. Must say that its get up and go could be better, but is never any problem what so ever. Talk about perfect in every aspect. Shame to see other people give such little reviews for such a vehicle, wonder why. People who change anything about the car, like increasing speed, are insulting the vehicle unless on worldwide.