Aston Martin

Aston Martin has been known as one of the finest producers of British sports cars since all the way back in 1913 when the company was founded by Lionel Martin and a fellow maned Aston, right? Nope, the other person who founded the Aston Martin company was Robert Bamford. The Aston portion of the name was derived from the fact that Martin raced automobiles at  Aston Hill, which was located near a town called Aston Clinton. Prior to the Second World War, the company experienced a series of financial woes, and they produced very few cars, making their ongoing viability uncertain.

But after the Second World War, leadership at Aston Martin was provided by Sir David Brown after his eponymously named firm purchased the company. Brown's involvement led to the introduction of the "DB" models that defined the Aston Martin brand during the 1950s, starting the the DB2 that made its debut in 1950 and then moving on to the DB 2/4, the Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mark II, the DB Mark III and the DB4. The DB5 and DB6 were introduced during the following decade. Though ownership has changed hands a number of times since the Brown era, the brand remains alive today making top quality sports cars under the heralded Aston Martin banner.