With our roads filled with around 32 million cars, it has never been more necessary to design a car that will guarantee to turn heads. This skill has been refined here in the UK by Aston Martin who has a proven pedigree. The company, which created iconic cars such as the DB5 and the DB9, has been declared the coolest brand in the UK for the fifth time in six years. The survey also voted the company as the coolest motor company brand in the UK.
The survey was conducted by a well know website which acts primarily to find the leaders in innovation, style, originality and desirability. Over 10,000 brands are shortlisted in the poll, which is then revised to 1,500 with the help of 36 judges.
Aston Martin’s perception of cool first started with the DB5, the car of choice for smooth secret agent James Bond in the films Goldfinger, Thunderball, and Goldeneye. The films have had a relationship with the brand ever since, with Mr Bond moving onto the V8 Vantage and the DBS in more recent films. The original Goldfinger vehicle was specially modified for the film, featuring pop-out guns hidden behind the front indicators, a bullet shield behind the rear window and a three-way revolving front number plate. This actual vehicle was sold in 2010 at auction for £2.6m to serial car collector Harry Yeaggy.
Innovation has to happen for success to be achieved, and the company now offers a whole fleet of vehicles all of which oozing class and prestige. They range from the sophisticated “Rapide”, DB9 and DBS, to the ferociously powerful “Vantage”.
The company has looked to keep up its reputation with two new vehicles, the “V12 Zagato”, a 6 litre V12 engine producing 510bhp, and the awesome “One-77”, a production limited of 77 handcrafted vehicles each expected to cost well over one million pounds, with a powerful 750bhp V12 engine. The Frankfurt motor show saw the company unveil another new vehicle, the striking DBS carbon series.
Aston Martin has recently invaded the compact car market with the launching of the “Cygnet”. This 4-seater hatchback offers all the luxury you would expect with an Aston Martin, but with small enough to whizz around the bustling highways of the city. The cars have been so popular, it’s rumoured there is an extensive waiting list as the company battles to keep up with demand
The Aston Martin legacy has always been admired by many. With each model (apart from the Cygnet) costing around £100,000, it is seen as the ultimate symbol of wealth and success. As long as the company continue to innovate and create new products, this British classic will surely be up there with the coolest for years to come.
