The AMOC web forum went ballistic, post after post, page after page – no thread progressed and grew like this. The idea of an Aston just for the city, dare I say, a sensible Aston Martin, exclusively suited to the cut and thrust of the urban environment had challenged many members and owners. Was AML selling out or adapting to the future demands of the market place, legislation and the environment? Was 95 years of performance centred motoring being dumped for a fast buck? The downturn that began with the ‘Credit Crunch’ in 2008 damaged sales of high end motor cars greatly and no manufacturer in the sector was immune; AML was quick off the mark with the Cygnet, perhaps it could fill the gap in demand until people desired and could afford sportscars in greater numbers again. Everyone had an opinion and they have all been expressed most strongly but development of the project continued at Gaydon regardless. It has to be said that the Cygnet is not a totally brand new fresh design but is strongly based on the Toyota iQ, an ultra-compact city car of similar proportions to the Smart ForTwo.

First view of the finished Cygnet concept was at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show where the single concept car drew much attention. By October 2010, the factory announced that production would indeed go ahead at the Gaydon factory beginning before the end of the year. The finished production version was subsequently unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor show with cars available for customers in the UK and Europe simultaneously. New Cygnet owners were buzzing around the city’s of Europe by Spring 2011. Customers outside of Europe were able to buy the Cygnet later in 2011, although plans to market in the US were dropped.

Sadly, initial customer demand for the Cygnet did not reach the sort of levels initially anticipated by Aston Martin and thus production slowed to just a trickle within just a couple of years. By September 2013, the car was quietly dropped from the range with no plans for a replacement: it is believed that only around 800 were constructed. Although the Cygnet has become an odd footnote in Aston Martin history, it has also been tipped as a desirable future classic too especially with such a short production run. Once, franchised dealers were struggling to sell them, now they are becomming harder to find and prices have crept up. Time to add one to your collection?

Initially the DB3 and then the painfully beautiful DB3S captivated the crowds during the early and mid 50’s. Le Mans eluded David Brown for years until the dream became reality in 1959 when Aston Martin took 1st and 2nd places in the French Classic. The DBR1 went on to take the Sportscar championship later the same year. The similar DBR2 had limited success but was mostly hampered by a larger engine that precluded it from important international competitions.

David Brown also wanted to compete in Formula 1 in the late 1950’s although the DBR4 was late for the party. Just as the front engined car went racing, the tide was turning for rear engined machines that continues to this day.

The DB4GT based Project cars flew the flag for the marque during the mid 60’s in the GT class, and later in the 60’s came the Lola T70 with the then new V8 engine. Both were unable to repeat the success of the DBR1.

The 1970’s were difficult times for AML but a privately entered V8 was entered for both the 1977 and 1979 Le Mans. RHAM/1 was both fast and dramatic but became less and less of the original DBS V8 Aston as it was developed.

The Aston Martin V8 engine also saw service in the Nimrod of the late 70’s and the EMKA and Cheetah of the early 80’s. But the greatest of the V8 racing Aston Martins was the awesome AMR1 of 1989; a wonderful Group C machine which had an unfortunately short life.

And despite the ending of V8 production in 2000, an independent constructor, David Ellis, has produced a Virage-like GT car for the 2001 season.

On the 4th December 2003, AML confirmed all those rumours that they would be returning to international motor racing and announced the creation of a new division within the company to be known as Aston Martin Racing. By the end of 2004, the DBR9 was shown to the press and has gone on to be an effective force in GT1 sportscar racing throughout the world under works, works supported and private teams. Another product of AMR is the more production car based DBRS9 suitable for the GT3 catagory.