Top Things You Likely Did Not Know About Aston Martin
Aston Martin is a British automobile company known for its luxury and speed. It’s also famed for its stunning designs, and many people see its automobiles as great works of art. Despite being a global automobile manufacturer, its cars have become British icons. This company has a long history of making automobiles for racing and for people looking for vehicles that demonstrate their position and riches. Here are some things you likely did not know about Aston Martin.
The Company Was Originally Called “Bamford & Martin”
Formed in 1913, Aston Martin has one of the most illustrious histories in the British automobile business. Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford were the company’s founders. Originally, the two teamed up to build cars for Singer. Known as Bamford & Martin, there were based on Callow Street in London.
They then decided to build their own automobiles and purchased a building in Kensington’s Henniker Mews, naming their company Aston Martin. “Martin,” of course, referred to one of the founders, while “Aston” refers to a location: Aston Hill is a venue for motorsports events, and Lionel Martin was a passionate racer. He used to test-drive cars at Aston Hill.
A Count Died Racing for Aston Martin
Aston Martin has had several highs and lows during its existence. The terrible death of Count Louis Zebrowski was one of its lowest points. During the 1920s, Aston Martin began building a name for itself in motorsports. Because of Count Louis Zebrowski’s financial support, it was able to continue constructing cars and entering them in motor racing contests. It was especially ecstatic to enter vehicles in the Le Mans race and other Grand Prix events throughout Europe.
However, tragic events occurred in 1924 at the Italian Grand Prix: Count Louis Zebrowski himself was sadly killed in an accident while racing one of the Aston Martins.
Claud Hill Designed the Aston Martin Atom
The Aston Martin Atom was introduced in 1939. This was designed by Claude Hill, who was the company’s lead engineer at the time. The Atom was a four-wheel-drive saloon car with advanced switching speeds and a unified chassis and transmission. Aston Martin unveiled this model at the London Motor Show in 1940, and it caused quite a stir. Despite the positive reception, however, this model did not fare well in the marketplace. This wan’t because of any flaws with the vehicle; rather, car sales were down in general as a result of World War II.
We hope you have enjoyed our article on the top things you likely did not know about Aston Martin. Aston Martin certainly has a storied history, but its current efforts are just as interesting—read here to learn more about the latest engineering endeavors this company has taken!