New Delhi, Jan 16: "Now pay attention Bond... this is your Aston Martin!" Who can forget these words as they ended 007's brief flirtation with BMW and put him firmly back behind the wheel of an Aston.
James Bond's favourite car-maker Aston Martin has completed its 100 years. The British luxury sports car company marked the occasion with a special ceremony outside the firm's original home in London where a commemorative plaque was put up.
Quintessentially British, the Aston Martin is the favourite car for James Bond, a fictional British Secret Service agent, as well as for television, radio, comic strip and video game formats. The car has been used in James Bond movies, the longest continually running and the second-highest grossing film franchise to date. It was Bond's passion for the fast machinery that led to start of the relationship of the car marker to the super-spy franchise that continues today, 23 action-packed adventures later. Bond's first stint with Aston Martin happened in Goldfinger in 1964 and the car was later featured in Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and Casino Royale. Subsequent Bond movies featured the latest version of the famous brand.
Over 100 years ago, Aston Martin was founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Their firm Bamford & Martin later became Aston Martin, soon after Martin emerged victorious out of the famed Aston Hill race.
It was in 1922, that the company delivered cars to compete in the French Grand Prix. The car gained game by setting new speed and endurance records. Until World War II, racing cars like Aston Margin faced tough times due to strain on finances and changed hands several times.
In 1947, tractor manufacturer David Brown bought the company has the vehicles under his ownership took on his initials -- DB -- and Aston Martin soon gained worldwide fame. For instance, the DB5, immediately shot to fame when it appeared in the 1964 James Bond film "Goldfinger." The car was showcased to be carrying all the high-tech gadgets and weaponry, the rockets and oil slick buttons were just a spy fan's daydream. The car was cool enough to quickly achieve the iconic status.
However, even association with Bond could not save Aston Martin when the gas crisis hit in the 1970s, along with new safety regulations. David Brown had to sell the company in 1972, and in 1975, production hit its lowest point at 21 cars. The 1970s and 1980s were not too smooth for the company. The company was saved yet again in 1987, when Ford Motors bought up 75 percent of Aston Martin, later acquiring the remaining 25 per cent in 1994.
Under Ford's ownership, the DB7 came into existence. The car received significant improvements thereupon and by 2001, 5000 DB7s had been built. In 2003, Aston moved from its storied headquarters in Newport Pagnell to a shiny new shop in Gaydon. The firm also announced that it would return to racing with the DBR9. By 2006, Aston Martin had built 30,000 cars in its 93-year history.
In recent period, Aston Martin returned to the screen in a big way when the DBS debuted in "Casino Royale." Ford let Aston go in 2007, when it was bought by a couple of international investment houses. The company has recently announced a £150million cash injection from a new shareholder to speed up plans for sexy new vehicles worthy of 007. The new partner in the company is European investment group Investindustrial which is taking a 37.5 per cent stake in its business. The investment will enable it to make heavy investments in new models and technology in the next five years.
To celebrate the occasion, we've put together a gallery of photos showcasing all that is great about Aston Martin.
1. The original Aston Martin Coal Scuttle, built in 1915 when the company was founded
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