Coal Scuttle (1915)
The first ever vehicle produced by the company was completed in 1915. Company founder Lionel Martin set out to create “a car for the discerning owner-driver with fast touring in mind.” It would be five years, not least because of WW1, until Aston Martin produced another car.
DBR1 (1956)
Taking its name from the company’s then head David Brown and adding an “R” for “racing,” this was the vehicle that won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Aston benefitted from a new rule that stated that cars in the competition no longer needed to be road legal, allowing them to design a car from scratch, optimized for competition. It made an appearance in the 1961 British film The Green Helmet, a tale of rival racing driver brothers.
DB5 (1963)
James Bond’s most iconic car has starred alongside Connery, Brosnan and Craig in five 007 movies, including Goldfinger, Thunderball and Casino Royale. The specially equipped silver birch model that appeared in Goldfinger, complete with that infamous ejector seat, water jets and revolving number plate, was in fact the original prototype car.
V8 Vantage (1977)
Described at its launch as the first British supercar, the Vantage was the ride of choice for 007 (played by Timothy Dalton) in 1987’s The Living Daylights with the addition of rocket launchers, retractable skis and spiked tires. Its hyper-masculine design drew inspiration from Ford’s Mustang Muscle from the same era.
Vanquish (2001)
The Vanquish featured pronounced bulges above its headlights, leading seamlessly to a sleek rear, and was the go-to choice for 00s hip-hop video directors, appearing in Nelly’s “Hot In Herre” in 2000, and R Kelly and Usher’s “Same Girl” seven years later. In its obligatory Bond appearance in 2004’s Die Another Day, The Vanquish was able to become virtually invisible with reflective camouflage.