Aston Martin India

Corporate Profile

Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars. Its headquartered in
Gaydon, Warwickshire and also has operations in the Middle East, North Africa and India. The
companys Chief Executive Officer is Ulrich Bez. Its worldwide revenues totaled approximately
US$925 million in 2007.
Show
Contents
Aston Martin from 1994 to 2007 was a part of the Ford Motor Company and on March 12, 2007 was
purchased by a joint venture, headed by David Richards and co-owned by Investment Dar and
businessman John Sinders. Ford retained 12.1% stake in the company.
Ashton Martin has 134 dealers spread over forty-two countries and the company sold 22,000 cars in
2011. Aston Martin also participates in car auctions and participated in the Annual Bonhams Auction
in 2011.
The company which produces only sports cars, in 2010 added the elegant four-door sports car called
the Rapide and the stunning One-77 supercar to its fleet of cars which comprises of DBS, DB9 and
Vantage. The current range of award-winning sports and performance GT cars gives Aston Martin the
strongest line up in its history.
As per the companys expansion plans, Aston Martin recently entered the markets in Brazil, Chile,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey. The company is working towards making is
presence felt in new markets as well as emerging markets such as China and the Middle East.
Aston Martin launched operations in India when it opened its first dealership in Mumbai on 15 April,
2011 in partnership with Performance Cars (a division of Infinity Cars Pvt Ltd.). Infinity Cars is an
Indian company that has been dealing with Indian luxury cars and yachts for many years and is
headed by Abhimanyu Singh, General Manager of Infinity Cars Pvt. Ltd.
The Mumbai dealership sells and gives customers the opportunity to test drive the V8 Vantage Coupe
and Roadster, V12 Vantage, DB9 Coupe and Volante, DBS Coupe, and Volante, the four-door sports
car, Rapide; the recently launched V8 Vantage S and the new Virage. Aston Martin India plans to
introduce its second dealership in New Delhi soon.

Company History
British sports-car company, Aston Martin, was founded by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin in the
year 1914, in Warwickshire. Initially known as Bamford and Martin Limited, the company was

renamed Aston Martin in 1915, to commemorate Lionel Martins Hill Climb races at Aston Clinton,
Buckinghamshire.

Initial Successes
The two founders joined hands to produce luxury sports cars that would combine superior
performance and elegance. In 1923, two Aston Martin cars entered the racing circuit in Europe at the
French Grand Prix. In the same year, the team broke ten world records at the Brooklands Motor
Racing Circuit, firmly establishing the company as a formidable sports-car maker.

Aston Martin Atom

One of the most distinctive car models developed by the company in its pre-1947 years was the
Atom, built using a space frame chassis and independent suspension, in 1939. Designed by Claude
Hill for Aston Martin, the car came with an aluminum body over a tubular steel frame, and was
considerably different from the companys other cars.

The David Brown Series

In 1947, industrialist David Brown bought Aston Martin Limited after driving the Atom (or so the story
goes). Following the acquisition, Aston Martin cars were named after the new owner, as the DB-series
cars. Over the next few decades, several DB-series cars were produced, many of which went on to
become the most successful racing-cars of the time most notably winning the 1953 and the 1959 Le
Mans 24 hours. The teams most well-known sports-car driver was Stirling Moss, who raced a DBR1
at Le Mans 1959.

Aston Martin in James Bond Movies

Aston Martin cars have been immortalized in several James Bond movies, the most well-known being
the DB5 in Goldfinger. Other James Bond movies featuring DB-series cars include On Her
Majestys Secret Service, Golden Eye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, and Quantum of
Solace. The V8 Vantage Volante and the V12 Vanquish appeared in The Living Daylights and Die
Another Day, respectively.

Ownership Changes
Aston Martin has gone through a number of ownership changes in its lifetime. In 1972, it was sold to
Company Developments Ltd, backed by a Birmingham-based consortium. Again, in 1975, it was
taken over by businessmen Peter Sprague (from USA) and George Minden (from Canada).
In 1980, at a time when the company was close to bankruptcy, with its owners considering closing
down the production unit, it was acquired by Victor Gauntlett and Pace Petroleum, who revived its
sagging fortunes. Then, in 1987, the Britain-based company had a new owner yet again this time
the American auto giant, Ford Motor, which acquired a 75 percent stake in it (by 1994, Ford had taken
over 100 percent of the company).
In March 2007, the company was back in British hands, when Ford sold it to a consortium led by
David Richards, for 479 million pounds. Richards continues to be the companys Chairman.

Company Founder(s)
Britain-based sports car company, Aston Martin, was founded by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin in
Henniker Place, Kensington, in the year 1914. Prior to starting the company, the two founders had
teamed up to sell racing cars made by Singer in Callow Street, London. They built the first Aston

prototype by fitting a four-cylinder Coventry-Simplex engine to an Isotta-Fraschini designed by Ettore

Bugatti.
The company, initially called Bamford Martin, was later renamed Aston Martin after the Aston Clinton
Hill Climb race course, where Martin had successfully competed in the past. The story goes that
Martins wife, Kate, suggested changing the first letter of the company name to A, which would
ensure that it appeared at the of the list of runners at racing events, thus indirectly promoting the new
car.
The founding duo planned to manufacture their cars at Henniker Place in Kensington, where they
acquired a premises to start production. Their objective was to develop a quality car of good
performance and appearance for the discerning driver, with fast touring in mind. However, at the
beginning of the First World War, they had to part ways, with Martin joining the Admiralty and Bamford
the Royal Army Corporation.
After a few years, they re-founded the company in Kensington, and in 1919, built their first production
car with a Coventry-Simplex engine. The car cost 850 pounds, and touched a maximum speed of 70
miles per hour.
The original founders association with Aston Martin wasnt very long - Bamford retired in 1920, and
Martin lost control of the company in 1926. The company had made some progress at international
motor racing circuits under Martin, entering the French Grand Prix in 1923, and registering several
wins at the Brooklands Motor Racing Circuit later that year. But something extremely unfortunate
happened in 1924 - the companys chief patron, Count Louis Zborowski, who had kept the cash flow
going until then, died in a racing accident, leaving it bankrupt.
After Martins exit, the company was taken over by newly formed engineering firm, Renwick & Bertelli,
and was moved to Feltham in Middlesex. Italian-born engineer Augustus Bert Bertelli then set out to
re-invent the Aston Martin, and took it to a new high over the next decade. Bertellis stylish, low-slung
racing cars such as the 1930 International rebuilt Aston Martin were well-received, but he didnt have
the resources to solve the companys financial problems. By 1936, the company had a new owner in
the wealthy Sutherland family.
Over the course of its long history, Aston Martin has seen several changes in ownership, each adding
something new to the companys product range and character. It has, however, survived with an
identity of its own and a reputation for superior quality and performance.

Company Milestones

1913: Bamford and Martin Limited established the Aston Martin office. The name of the office
changed in 1926 to Aston Martin Motors Limited.
1915: The first Aston Martin car was registered.
1922: Aston Martin ran in the French Grand Prix.
1928: Aston Martin ran in the Le Mans 24 Hours race.
1947: David Brown purchased Aston Martin for 20,000 pounds. Aston Martin was further propelled
into the world of racing. The DB series of cars were launched (DB stood for the founders name
David Brown.)
1948: The Spa Special, an Aston Martin two-litre sports car won the Spa 24 Hours, a yearly
endurance race in Belgium. The race is held at the Circuit de Spa under Francorchamps by the
Royal Automobile Club Belgium.
1981: Victor Gauntlett and Pace Petroleum bought Aston Martin from David Brown.
1983: Victor Gauntlett seeked further financing from the Lavanos shipping family.

1987: 75% of the shares were sold to Ford and a few years later 100% of the shares were sold to
Ford.
2003: the Seven thousandth DB7, Aston Martins most popular car was built.
2006: This was a year where four major events happened for Aston Martin: the Rapide four door
coupe concept was unveiled at the Detroit North American International Auto Show, the thirty
thousandth Aston Martin was built, the DB5 and DBS showcased in the Casino Royale James Bond
movie, and Aston Martin was voted as UKs coolest brand.
2007: Aston Martin was sold to a consortium of David Richards, John Sinders and investment
houses Dar and Adeems Investment.
2009: Aston Martin One-77 won the Concorso d'Eleganza Design Award for Concept Cars and
Prototypes. The company also celebrated its fiftieth anniversary of its first win at Le Mans 24 Hours.

Vision & Values

Aston Martin aims to become the market leader in sports and luxury cars, with a combination of
usability, new technology and great engineering capability. The nearly hundred-year old sports car
manufacturer boasts an unequalled heritage, a reputation for creativity and craftsmanship, and an
unmatched product line-up. Its award-winning range of cars, including the V8 Vantage, the DB9 and
the flagship DBS, embodies the values of power, beauty and soul. The companys other values
include, but are not limited to: individuality, adherence to the highest manufacturing standards, hand
finishing and bespoke craftsmanship, ensuring each and every Aston Martin is a unique expression of
a long tradition.
Over the years, Aston Martin has stayed true to these values, creating some of the most iconic British
sports cars of the post-war era, the most prominent of these being the David Brown (DB) series,
created during David Brown's ownership of the company; the Lagonda and the Rapide. Each Aston
Martin is modern, exclusive and beautiful, with an exceptional character that rewards the car
enthusiast, both on the road and on the race track. Driving these cars is a unique, exhilarating
experience that becomes possible only with the shared vision and values of the companys excellent
team of designers and engineers.
Ulrich Bez, the current CEO of the company, thinks that Aston Martin is the only exclusive
understated sports car. In 2003, he envisioned the company floating its shares in the stock market,
and stated that its aim was to have dealerships all over the world with equal sales in the UK, the
European market, the US and the rest of the world.

Management Team
Dr. Ulrich Bez has been the CEO of Aston Martin since 2000. He has created a modern British brand
of luxury cars that are known all over the world. He is responsible for the establishment and creation
of the DBR9 and DBRS9 cars a series of David Brown cars.
Prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin, he was responsible for the design and
development of Porsches 911 Turbo, 968 and 963 models, all of which are cars. Dr. Bez was the
Vice President of Engineering at Daewoo and the first director of BMW Technik GmbH before joining
Porsche and before joining Aston Martin.
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited appointed Philipp Grosse Kleimann as the Director of Business
Development in 2011. He will report to Dr. Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive Officer, Aston Martin, and will
be part of the companys Executive Management Board. He previously worked at Daimler.

Hanno Kirner has been Chief Financial Officer of Aston Martin since 2010. He joined Aston Martin
from Rolls-Royce where he served as the Director of Finance and IT for five years and has extensive
experience of the automotive industry. Hes also worked at BMW before at the in-house consulting
division in 2000 for controlling finance projects. In 2002, he took over responsibility of the IT and
corporate projects. He worked at Haarmann Hemmelrath Management Consultants in Hamburg
specializing in controlling and finance issues in IPOs and Mergers and Acquisitions prior to joining
BMW.
Jeffery Scott is the Managing Director of European Operations and Regional General Manager of
Europe of Aston Martin since July 2010. He is responsible for sales, marketing and expanding the
dealer network in Europe. He has also worked at Toyota, Lexus, Jaguar and Ford the notable car
companies of the world. .
Michael Van Der Sande is the Chief Commercial Officer and part of the companys Executive
Management Board since 2009. He last worked in Tesla Motors where he was the senior Vice
President of Global Sales and he also worked at Harley Davidson in 1996 as the Vice President and
Managing Director for European operations, Middle East Operations and African Operations
overseeing three hundred and seventy dealerships in thirty-six countries. Other companies he has
been with include Harley-Davidson, Nissan Europe, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Manufacturing Facilities
Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford founded Aston Martin in 1914.
In 2011, Aston Martin produced over 22,000 cars worldwide, which is a very small number compared
to Toyota, GM and Fords production.
According to Aston Martin, the progression of production is as follows:

250 cars produced in 1973.

2,067 cars produced in 2004.
22,000 cars produced in 2011.
Out of these 22,000 cars produced up to the first few months of 2011, 7,000 cars were DB7s, which
means 31.8% of the cars produced in 2011 were DB7s, showing the huge popularity of this car.
The DB7 is a sports car, one of the most popular cars of the company available either as a coupe or a
convertible. It was manufactured for the first time between September 1994 and December 1994. The
car was styled by Ian Callum and Keith Helfet. The DB7 was launched with a 6 cylinder engine and
the DB7 Vantage was launched with a V12 engine.
Going back into the history of production for Aston Martin, the two most prominent cars it produced
were: the Aston Martin Lagonda in 1985 and the Aston Martin Vantage in 1972-73. The Aston Martin
Lagonda was a four-door saloon and 645 pieces of the car were produced in the first batch in 1985
while the Aston Martin Vantage was a two-door coupe and 71 pieces of the car were built. Apart from
these cars, the other prestigious models of Aston Martin include the DB4, DB5 and DB6 which were
released in the 60s. The DB5 is a two door car. The DB5 Volante was produced in 1964 and is an
open, two-door car.

Aston Martin is planning to launch the Cygnetan Electric Vehicle. The racing debut of the V12
Zagato will be at the Nrburgring on 28th May 2011 with a view to two cars racing at the 24 hour race
on 25th June and Dr. Ulrich Bez will be driving it.
Aston Martin has been producing the V8 Vantage since 2005. From 2005, Aston Martin has
showcased the expensive car, bolted in a roll bar and sports seats and then showcased the car on the
world stage.
Another car Aston Martin created is the N24 and it continues to be a key player in sports car racing,
having made its debut at the 2006 Nrburgring 24 hour race. The N24 soon spawned a special edition
road car, the N400.
The company has announced its plans for unveiling a new ground up AMR-One car and has
confirmed the driver lineup for the same.
Prodrive is responsible for Aston Martin Racings global operations and oversees all aspects of race
car production and development.

Technology
The V12 is a type of cylinder that is V-shaped and contains 12 cylinders over the two Vs with 6
cylinders on each side of the V. Aston Martin has the V12 engine in the Aston Martin V12 Vantage
and features a number of enhancements over the standard six-litre V12 found in the DB9. The DB9 is
the ninth car in the series of David Brown cars; David Brown was one of the owners of Aston Martin.
Another of the technologically advanced features is a by-pass engine air intake port that opens up at
5500 rpm. This improves airflow into the combustion chamber.
Along with the V12 Engine and the DB9, Aston Martin is considering bringing back the Straight Six
engine. This will have a six-cylinder engine with a 2.5-liter swept capacity and direct injection and
turbo charging technologies. Aston Martin believes that there will be no issues fitting the straight-six
engine into the VH architecture since it already fits V-12 engines, which are essentially two banks of
straight-six engines mounted to a common crankshaft.
Aston Martin Rapide, one of Aston Martins notable cars, has a six-litre V12 engine which produces
470 bhp. It is a luxurious car with good features.
Aston Martin One 77 has a 7.3 litre V12 engine and a dry lubrication system which produces 750 bhp
and torque of 750 Nm. It also has a front-engine rear-drive layout which means that the engine of the
car is located at the front of the car while the driver wheels are at the back of the car. It has a Carbon
Ceramic Matrix brake technology that transfers less heat from the brake pads to the brake fluids and
attention has been paid to the brake cooling so that less time is there to cool between acceleration.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage is the fourth car, which has eight cylinders that produce 380 bhp. The cars
deliver a mileage of three to six kilometers per litre.
Aston Martin has also joined hands with Pico Technology to supply an oscilloscope diagnostics kit to
each Aston Martin dealer all over the world. The oscilloscope is a kit that turns a PC into a highperformances diagnostic tool that can be used on all makes of the vehicle. The oscilloscope can show
the map, the airflow sensors, starter motors, fuel pumps, complex multi-cylinder ignition, injection

partners and even the bus physical signals. This is beneficial to customers as they get to view the car
in all its transparency. Aston Martin produces these kits for manufacturers of cars and trucks.

Awards & Recognition

As a manufacturer of sports cars, Aston Martin has been associated with numerous awards and
trophies over the last century. Aston Martin Racing is a team sponsored by the company which has
distinguished itself in the last couple of years. Notable recent accomplishments of the company
include:
1. Jan Charouz, Tom Enge and Stefan Mcke collected their 2009 Le Mans Series winning driver
trophies. Team Principal George Howard-Chappell received the 2009 Le Mans Series winning
teams award on behalf of Aston Martin Racing. The three drivers attended the Autosport Awards
in London where the Aston Martin LMP1 car featured amongst the nominees for Racing Car of
the Year. The award is sponsored by Gulf Oil and is due to 007s fourth overall and best petrol car
finish in Le Mans 24-Hours and third in the Le Mans Series season finale at Silverstone.
2. The Aston Martin One-77 won the Best Design Accolade in the 2009 Auto Express New Car
Awards.
3. Aston Martin Rapide won the Best Cars 2011 Award in Auto Motor Sport magazine.
4. Aston Martin of Newport Beach won the After Sales Shop of the Year award, fulfilling all customer
care aspects of the Aston Martin Mission Statement.
Prior to this, winners of the award included - The Collection in Miami, Florida, (2008) and Aston
Martin of Dallas (2007). The award involves every aspect of customer service, including Sales,
Service, Parts and After Sales Support. The After Sales purpose is to Provide after Sales
excellence and customer focused support ensuring that Aston Martin ownership is an exciting and
satisfying experience, promoting brand retention and loyalty.
The award is really special because to win this award the dealer has to perform well in Customer
Car, Fixed Right First Time scores, Parts Department stocking level management, and be
recommended by the regional management team. Aston Martin of Newport Beach excelled in
each category. They provide world-class services along with their world-class luxury vehicles and
have high standards of customer service.
Aston Martin Newport Beach is located on Newport Beach and its sale and service centers
provide a very different, thought-provoking and luxurious experience. They have staff to meet all
your needs.
5. Among the 51 cars that were showcased in the 2011 New York Autoshow, Aston Martin was
clearly the crowd favorite. As a producer of sports cars, Aston Martin has made great headways
into the field of car manufacturing. Its brand new cars the Aston Martin Rapide got the award the
World Car Design of the Year Award. This was a pleasant surprise as it has made a transition
from the coupe-design to the four-door sedan.

International Operations

Aston Martin began manufacturing cars in 1914. Aston Martins cars include the DB7, DB8,
Vanquisher, Rapide and DBR8 amongst others.
In the 1980s the Aston Martin Lagonda was sold to Persian Gulf states, particularly Oman, Kuwait
and Qatar.
Aston Martin has manufacturing facilities in England, and Australia and the company manufactures
about 8,000 cars per year.
The Aston Martin Rapide was produced at the Magna Steyr factor in Graz, Australia.
The One-77, one of the most exciting luxury cars of Aston Martin was showcased in Mumbai in 2011.
This car has a price tag of Rs. 200 million.
Aston Martin has offices in Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France,
India, Denmark and other parts of the world. The company has created a new test center located
adjacent to the Nurburgring circuit. The company tests Aston Martin cars at this place for sixteen
weeks every year.
The company also created a building in Meuspath located opposite the Dttinger Hhe main straight
to create Aston Martins first test facility. The 26,000sq ft. building has three main areas a testing
area as well as a vehicle workshop, a dedicated facility to tend the Aston Martins European press
fleet with a total of six inspection ramps. The interior space has been designed to be such that it can
hold race events, track experiences and even vehicle launches. There is a reception and a showroom
that welcomes guests to explore Aston Martins products.
Aston Martin Racing has been created in partnership with Prodrive, one of the world's leading motor
sport and automotive technology specialists and Prodrive will be responsible for Aston Martin
Racing's global operations as well as play an important role in the plans to see a competitive Aston
Martin program return to the world sports car series.
Croatia, Brazil, Czech Republic, Greece, Taiwan, Turkey and Chile were three new regions of the
world where Aston Martin has entered along with the emerging markets including China and Middle
East.
Aston Martin Racing built 12 work cars which ran in three work teams in the international GT series.
In 2010, the Chief Commercial Officer of the company, Michael van der Sande said, "We expect our
25 per cent sales will come from Asia and the Middle East in the next five years". Hence Aston Martin
expects a large part of its revenues from international locations.

Exports
Aston Martin exports cars to Russia, India, China, Dubai, the United States and Canada in order to
extend its products to various countries of the world, something done to increase its presence in
various markets.
The cars that are exported to India come from Britain. These cars are available for very high prices
due to import duty and the price of these cars is a staggering Rs. 17-20 crore.
The company that imports these cars in India is Infiniti Cars based out of Mumbai. Infinity Cars is the
crme-de-la-crme of high-end luxury cars providing its customers with the BMWs, Aston Martins of

the world as well as private and expensive yachts that looks like supermodels. Beneath all the
products lies the test drive service. It allows you to drive the fast and furious cars with tiger-like
prowess right from the showroom.
The Aston Martin cars that are available in India evoke a sense of luxury and exclusivity. The
imported version of the One-77 is available for Rs. 20 crore.
Another car that is exported to India is the Rapide. It is a four-door, four-seater car with performance
like a sportscar. The Rapide is an aesthetically sound car. The 6-litre V-12 engine produces 469
horsepower and runs at 6000 rpm sporting an aluminum body.
For all the excitement of these cars (Rapide and One-77) one has to appreciate that there are more
cars in the lineup to be exported to India. You can even order the DB9, the Virage and the Vantage.

Future Plans
Aston Martin is planning to list its shares on the stock market so that it can fund its next generation of
sports cars. Proceeds from the listing will be utilized to fund and develop the new Lagonda, a luxury
Sports Utility Vehicle, amongst other uses.
Aston Martin plans to sell 4000 Cygnets at 30,000 pounds a piece. The new Lagonda is part of
Astons long-term plan. The three-year plan that Aston Martin has come up with includes the following
strategies:
1. The company will measure Carbon Dioxide Emissions of the car up to 2012.
2. There will be a face-lift for the DB-series.
3. The four-door saloon, the Rapide will launch too.
4. The first One-77s will hit the road with only 77 pieces of the car being produced.
5. The Lagonda will be available as of 2012.
6. The Cygnet will be available in an electric mode.
The Cygnet will also go on sale for 21,800 Euros and will only be available in Europe. The Vantage
V12 will be manufactured for the US market. Additionally, the DB series (DB9 and DBS) will see some
changes. The Rapide which has a 6 litre V12 engine will also be available for sale and so customers
can put their names on the waiting list for the car. According to the company, the Lagonda car will
only be sold in Russia and China.
The company is unveiling the e-Cygnet which is on the tail of the Toyota iQ, the Japanese car which
was the foundation of the Aston Car. The first Aston Martin EV in the history of the world will also be
launched a bit after the baby EV is launched by Toyota in 2012. Aston Martin will launch its version of
the EV in 2013. According to the CEO Ulrich Bez who has been the CEO and Chairman of Aston
Martin, the electronic hybrid of the car is not good as it will cause more damage to the environment.
Not many of the Cygnets will come out in a rush.
The Cygnet car will be available for a very high sum wholesale and an even higher sum, if bought
separately, making it more expensive than the Aston Martin coupes and roadsters.
As per the Lagonda, Aston Martin plans to launch two-three models of the Lagonda. These models
will include features like a sporty cross-over, an Allroad-type crossover and a high speed luxury

saloon. Aston Martin is a brand of various cars. It does not just include one car. There will be another
car launched by Aston martin called the project Swan. This Lagonda will be sophisticated and
luxurious giving competition to the Mercedes series of cars and Maybach. Plans of this are not
revealed yet, though.

Contact Details
Headquarter
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited
Banbury Road,
Gaydon, Warwick CV35 0DB,
England
Tel: +44-(0)1926-644644
Fax: +44-(0)1926-644733
Website: http://www.astonmartin.com