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ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE ASTON MARTIN FAMILY

Centre Stage at Silverstone

Centre Stage at Silverstone

CENTRE STAGE AT SILVERSTONE

Aston Martin was the featured marque at this year’s Silverstone Classic, the world’s biggest classic motor-racing festival. The 100th aniversary celebrations during the three-day event in July included an Aston Martin parade lap of 361 cars (pictured above), featuring iconic heritage models and cars from the current range, including the DB5, DB4, One-77 and Vanquish.

To mark the 180th anniversary of Jaeger-LeCoultre and Aston Martin’s centenary, the two partners organised the “Anniversary Follow the Drive” in April

Winners celebrating on the podium at the Aston Martin Centenary Festival at Brands Hatch

BRANDS HATCH CENTENARY FESTIVAL

Tens of thousands of motor-racing fans flocked to the Aston Martin Centenary Festival at Brands Hatch on 6-7 July to enjoy parades, static displays and 12 thrilling races, including the fourth and fifth rounds of the GT4 Challenge of Great Britain and the 100-minute GT Centenary Race—the pinnacle of the weekend. Aston Martin Racing works driver Bruno Senna, competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2013, showed off the V8-powered Vantage GTE while celebrity chef James Martin competed in a Vantage GT4. A gathering of pre-war Aston Martins and models featured in the James Bond films added to the list of attractions.

Discover the story of Aston Martin’s first 100 years and the skills involved in making its iconic cars in Aston Martin: A Century of Craftsmanship. Held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon until December 2014, the exhibition features items from the collection of Roger Stowers, Aston Martin’s former historian, which was donated to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust by Aston Martin Lagonda Limited in 2001. The exhibition takes a fresh look at Aston Martin’s history and is a chance to see unique documents and photographs, some of which have not previously been publicly available. For more details, visit www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk.

Royal VISIT AT GAYDON

Aston Martin received the royal seal of approval in June when the Duke of Kent visited the Aston Martin factory at Gaydon. After being greeted by Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, he was joined by the Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Mr Timothy Cox and his wife, Mrs Penny Cox and given a tour of the production facility.

The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable pictured here with with CEO Dr Ulrich Bez

Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez shows the Duke of Kent around the Gaydon factory.

CarfesTIVE SPIRIT

A display of Aston Martins carried out demonstration laps at the Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire as part of CarFest North on 2-4 August. A centenary anniversary selection of models featured the One-77, V12 Vantage S, Centenary Vanquish, Skyfall DB5, Ulster LM 16, 1984 V8 Vantage and DB2 Le Mans. A hundred Aston Martins also participated in a parade lap on the Sunday.

Aston Martin took part in the 2013 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power in June, displaying the new V12 Vantage S, Vantage GT4 race car and an exclusive Centenary Edition Vanquish.

Alongside were iconic examples from the marque’s 100-year history, including the 1934 Ulster (top left).


CC100 IS A ROARING SUCCESS AT GOODWOOD

Leading Aston Martin’s display at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed in July was the CC100 Speedster Concept (pictured below). Created to celebrate Aston Martin’s 100 years of sports car excellence, it made its dynamic UK debut in West Sussex as the festival celebrated its 20th year. The CC100 was joined by Aston Martin’s most potent road car to date—the limited-edition One-77 hypercar excepted—in the shape of the V12 Vantage S. The powerful two-seater, capable of 205mph and 0-60 mph in only 3.7 seconds, completed a number of demonstration runs ahead of its global showroom debut before the end of the year. (See pages 50-52 for more details). Completing the luxury British brand’s participation at Goodwood were demonstration runs of Aston Martin Racing’s World Endurance Championship car—the Vantage GTE—driven by WEC racers Darren Turner and ex-F1 star Bruno Senna.

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