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Aston
Martin is a name revered around the world as representing the pinnacle
in automotive sophistication, luxury and outright performance. The
cars, and the accompanying mystique and charisma, are still produced
simply because the good name of Aston Martin means so much to so many.
Following
The Ford Motor Company's purchase in 1987 of a majority shareholding
in Aston Martin, grave fears were held for the British company's
future, indeed, for its very 'Britishness'. But these fears were
unfounded: it went from strength to strength, rising to an enviable
position of financial security, a position that over its long history,
it had never held.
In
Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul, author David Dowsey examines
64 unique Aston Martin cars that were produced in the exciting and
productive period following the Ford majority acquisition. Some
are well-known production models. Others are after-market conversions
carried out by Aston Martin or outside styling houses and engineering
companies. Aston Martin's forays into motorsport during this period
are also examined.
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Dowsey
was granted unprecedented access to photos and details of some of
the most extraordinary custom-made vehicles made by Aston Martin
for some very special customers. Never-seen-before details of these
ultra-expensive hand-built cars are included, along with behind-the-scenes
commentary from those closest to these sometimes top-secret projects.
Interwoven
throughout the book are the stories of the people that brought the
cars to life and who were responsible for making this tiny company
in the middle of the English countryside a world-class manufacturer
of the most envied luxury vehicles available today.
Comprehensive
technical specifications accompany each vehicle; automotive illustrator
Mike Harbar's delightful renderings add a charming bespoke dimension,
befitting their subject.
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