Historic Models Pull In To Aston Martin Works

LONDON – Sept 6, 2013: The largest ever gathering of classic Aston Martin models from the brand’s celebrated Feltham factory era made their way to Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell on Sunday as part of a special centenary road trip.

More than 40 members of the Aston Martin Owners Club, 30 of them at the wheel of rare Feltham-built classic Aston Martin DB 2/4 or DB Mk III models, made their way to the brand’s global centre of heritage excellence in Newport Pagnell as part of a tour of iconic Aston Martin locations across the Midlands and south of England.

The drivers, and their cars, were welcomed at Works by the company’s Managing Director Kingsley Riding-Felce, before the guests enjoyed a traditional cream tea and tour of the newly-redeveloped Works’ site which now offers state-of-the-art new car sales and servicing facilities alongside its established, and world-renowned, heritage restoration, repair and maintenance business.

The Feltham-era event was the brainchild of Aston Martin Owners’ Club member Barry Halton, himself an Aston Martin Mk III Drophead owner, who has been working to create the classic cavalcade of post-war sports cars since the start of the year.

Barry said: “It was a fabulous day. The welcome we received at Aston Martin Works, after a long trip that had already taken in historic locations associated with Aston Martin at Feltham in London and Aston Clinton was absolutely fantastic. I would like to thank everyone who made the visit there so special for us.”

Aston Martin Works has undergone a two-year multi-million pound redevelopment to create a unique centre of heritage excellence where restoration work on rare and valuable cars from across Aston Martin’s exceptional 100-year history goes on alongside new car sales, servicing and repair.

The six-acre site is now home to almost 100 employees, nearly three times the number that worked there just five years ago, and regularly works to repair and restore Aston Martin models for customers around the world.

Cars currently under restoration at Newport include post-war DB2, 2/4 and DB Mk III models, a very rare DB3S from the 1950s, DB 4s, 5s and 6s from the ’50s and ’60s plus examples of the 1970s V8 Vantage including the supercharged V600 ‘muscle car’, as well as more modern DB7s, among much else.

Works’ Managing Director Kingsley Riding-Felce said: “It was a pleasure to welcome such an impressive collection of classic Aston Martins to Works on Sunday.

“The day-long run showed, above all, that Aston Martin sports cars of whatever era are, first and foremost, cars to be driven and enjoyed, and I’m thrilled that so many owners of post-war Feltham era cars took the time to visit Newport Pagnell and the new Aston Martin Works.”

Aston Martin’s centenary celebrations have been ongoing since January with events across the UK, and far beyond, held to mark 100 years on the luxury British sports car brand.