One of the most expensive cars in Britain has a very confused story. For 94 years of existence, the company Aston Martin, has created a staff car for James Bond, 12 times (!) Changed owners three times, provided in a state of bankruptcy, and eventually conquer the world. The foundation was laid in 1913 when the British driver Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford founded a company Bamford & Martin Ltd., Has been selling German cars Singer. Friends of the self-improved models of German car industry in the garages on the outskirts of London. In view of the engineering talent of Martin and his racing passion, technical innovations have been tested in extreme conditions. And when in the same 1913 Lionel Martin wins the first victory in the race to the Aston Clinton hill, he decides to produce sports cars under its own brand, joining in the name of your own name and place of their first wins. The first car companions left the gate shop in Kensington in 1914 and represented a kind of salad - Italian car chassis Isotta Fraschini, English 1.4-liter engine Coventry-Simplex, a French 4-speed gearbox and some elements of the German Singer. The name of the firstborn to get fit - "Hybrid". However, such a tandem gave excellent performance - it can reach speeds of up to 110 km / h. Riders win the competition on their creations, but Bamford opposes their serial production and terminate cooperation. As a result, a new companion to Martin is a fearless race car driver, and along with rich American Louis Zborowski. The second model Aston Martin appeared after the First World War. Of the new workshops of the company, located in the premises of the former stables of Henniker on London Road Abington, goes Serial Aston Martin. Already in 1922, Aston Martin cars participate successfully in the French Grand Prix. However, in 1924 Louis Zborowski dies in car crash at the race at Monza. Without its main investor in the company suffers a financial meltdown. Bought the company for 6,000 pounds engineer William Renwick. Together with his partner, Italian Augustus Bertelli, and several other investors, he owned research firm R & B, which has developed a new 1.5-liter engine with overhead camshaft. This engine will form the basis for all future Aston Martin automobiles until 1936. In 1926, the new owners begin issuing model Aston Martin 11,9 HP Series T-Type and S-Type, International, Le Mann, Mark II and Ulster. By the way, racing the 24 Hours of Le Mans for three consecutive years in 1934-1936, respectively, won a car Aston Martin Ulster, developing a speed of 162 km / h. However, other models have also successfully participated in various races, gaining popularity and public acclaim. However, despite the popularity and financial affairs of the company were going badly, and in 1932 it becomes the property of the family Sutherland. In 1936, the company appears in the line model of Speed, and in 1939 the chief engineer Claude Hill has created a car Atom. At an auto show in London in 1940, Atom created a furor, but the Second World War began, and the company once again ruined. Only in 1947, Aston Martin is reviving again, when a company buys David Brown - owner of a major industrial company for manufacturing tractors and agricultural machinery. In 1948, based on the Atom is the first car produced a series of DB (abbreviation contained a David Brown's initials, but later began to be associated with the legendary British spy James Bond). The property also hit Brown Lagonda, which got the motor Aston Martin. It was a 6-cylinder engine, working a 2-liter with dual overhead camshafts, designed by another company Bentley. There were produced 15 cars Aston Martin Lagonda DB1. In 1950, the debut of DB-2 with a 2.6 liter engine capacity of 105 liters. with., successfully participated in many competitions for cars 3-liter class. In 1953 he began production of the racing modifications DB-3S with engine capacity of more than 200 hp. s, which was the most successful model among racing Aston Martin and performed until 1956. Major sporting success befell a special sports-racing series DBR. One of the cars DBR3 in 1959 won the Le Mans and won the Cup designers. In those same years, built several racing cars in Formula 1, however, is not as successful as sports. In 1959, fans of sports cars has been a model DB4. Designer Tadek Marek designed aluminum 6-cylinder engine working volume of 3.7 liters and 240 liters. with. with two overhead camshafts. An updated lightweight coupe body had a more elegant and attractive form. It was the most successful Grand Prix car category tourism in British cars. The impressive four-DBS model could reach speeds of 257 km / h, which put the car in one line with super-penalties. In 1960 was born on sports-racing Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato a streamlined body in the amount of 19 pieces. All of them have survived to our time. And in 1961 the studio Bertone in Italy created the rarest of all Aston Martin - Model DB4 GT Jet, which was to become a show car for Geneva Motor Show 1961. Unlike all the other cars DB4 GT, this was all steel body (instead of aluminum) and was slightly heavier than usual. The car was equipped with a 6-cylinder GT volume 3.7 liters, 297 liters betrayed. with. at 5750 rpm., which permitted a maximum speed of 240 km / h. This unique vehicle came intact to our time, survived in 1986, a full restoration. Currently, he demonstrated in various exhibitions and shows. In 1963 it was announced the launch of the new DB5, which differed from its predecessor increased to 4 liters engine capacity of 282 liters capacity. with. Another distinction between this model has its world's most popular owner - James Bond. At the Aston Martin DB5 he rode in the film "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball." By the way, for the filming of "Golden Eye" It took two cars because stuffed Massacre props Aston Martin is not fit for filming spectacular chases, though I could with a 8.1 reach speeds of 100 km / h. Advertised in such a way, the car is sold successfully. At the Geneva Salon 1965 Aston Martin DB5 has already exhibited signs with number 007, and the firm Corgi Toys released a scaled-down 43 times a copy of this toy car. Cost to pull the tiny lever, and the model catapulted a tiny plastic man. Aston Martin DB6 sample in 1965 had a 325-hp engine and can seat 4 people. A little later, at its base were born more powerful model of the DBS and DBS Vantage c 6-cylinder engine, later added the machine with an aluminum V8 engine capacity of 5,340 cu. cm, has an output of 340 to 450 liters. with. In 1972, in the history of Aston Martin came next global changes in the form of a change of owner: David Brown sold the manufacturing company Company Development Ltd. At this point, and ended usual model designation DB. In addition, the energy crisis and the tightening of laws for the automakers that time undermining the economics of production. The company hardly collects a small series of sports cars, the designation for the Vantage coupe and Volante for convertibles. All of them offer the most expensive versions with the same 5.3-liter V8 engine capacity of 340 and 390 hp. with. They appeared the first system of direct injection and American automatic transmissions. Since 1976, small series produced one of the most extravagant in the world of cars Aston Martin Lagonda class with an elongated wedge-shaped hood, under which there was already a known figure-eight of 390 liters. with. together with automatic Chrysler. This car was too expensive for ordinary layman, but in the Middle East Lagonda enjoyed great popularity. One of its owners were Prince and Princess of Saudi Arabia. With the advent of 80-ies of the financial position of Aston Martin has further deteriorated. For 7 years her several times to outbid the British and U.S. industrial and financial group, but this has not led to significant changes in the firm. In 1987, the owner of the British luxury brand has become an American concern Ford Motor Company, has bought 75% stake in the firm. The new owners revived the designation DB and returned to the legend on cinema screens. Despite the traditional methods autobuild for Ford, Aston Martin produced entirely by hand. Aluminum body parts are knocked out with hammers, not robots-machines. Manual labor is raised to the absolute. Moreover, on each machine under the hood is attached plaque with the name of the master, which it has collected. Never in the history of the automobile industry was not such a personification of the manufacturer. In 1988 a basic range of models produced by Vantage Volante and the new coupe was added Virage, combining the spirit of the models of previous years, coupled with cutting-edge design and superb new chassis. Virage offered motorists a higher dynamic performance. In the 90 years with the support of Ford Aston Martin economic situation has improved. In 1993, the audience was presented a new sports DB7. This model is one of the best car company. The new James Bond series protagonist wears it in this car. Seventh models are equipped with a 6-cylinder engine of 3.2 liter capacity of 335 liters. with. with electronic ignition and interior blowers. In the 90 years are still valid model of Virage, Volante and Vantage with significantly redesigned V8 engine with 4 valves per cylinder and bulky superchargers, which allowed to raise output to 557 hp. with. At the 1998 Detroit auto show in a successful project was the new Aston Martin DB7. Contribute to the creation of a car the next millennium, which was named Dream Choice, introduced designer Ian Callum. Since then, the DB7 is produced in two versions, which have become standard for Aston Martin, - Coupe and Volante. In 1999 at the Geneva Motor Show was first shown the new brainchild of British designers - Aston Martin DB7 Vantage. In 2000, the owner of Aston Martin, the U.S. auto giant Ford, has officially introduced the model of Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, which is due to a new, more powerful engines and the use of lightweight materials has incredible running characteristics. The machine is literally crammed with all possible electronics. All information is processed on-board computer (which, according to engineers who can carry up to 2 million instructions per second) is displayed, and most important - duplicated by voice. Every year, British workers collected about 300 such machines, each hand-and custom-made, so that the same will not be exact. In 2001, the company announced the release of chetyrehtysyachnogo car model Aston Martin DB7. They became convertible Vantage, painted in gray-green Galloway Green. Sales volume model DB7 has become the new record company and exceeded the total sales of earlier generations of this model - DB4, DB5 and DB6. It is worth noting that the elite Aston Martin is still going in four small sheds near the town of Newport Pegnel in central England. The year 2006 was special in the life of Aston Martin. First, he became the most fashionable brands in the UK. Secondly, the completed "Fordist" era - the American concern sold its shares to a consortium led by David Richards, John Sayndresom and investment companies Investment Dar and Adeem Investment. David Richards - founder and chairman of Prodrive, the world leader in motorsports and automotive engineering. John Sayndres - financier, owner of the transport companies in the U.S. and UAE. Investment Dar and Adeem Investment - Kuwaiti investment companies, asset managers more than $ 5 billion. In spring 2007, English style became officially available for Russian fans of sports cars - were opened in Moscow of Aston Martin.
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