The Fringe Magazine

Title:                      Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul
Author:                 David Dowsey
Publisher:             Images Publishing
RRP:                       $45
ISBN:                     97814704242
Release Date:     Oct 2011
Pages:                   352

Description:

For nearly a century now the Aston Martin name has been synonymous with performance, style and sophistication. Perhaps more than any other luxury car it possesses a mystique and charisma that have established it as a cultural icon and the pinnacle of automotive ingenuity. Yet the brand’s survival has not always been assured. That Aston Martins are still being produced today is testament to the power of the name and what it represents to car lovers worldwide.

In this revised and updated edition of Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul, author David Dowsey explores the colorful history of Aston Martin, from its humble beginnings in a London garage in 1913, to its takeover by the Ford Motor Company in 1987 and sale in 2007. Many of those intimately involved at the various stages of the car’s history offer amusing behind-the-scenes anecdotes and fascinating insights into the development of the Aston Martin.

With lush full color photography and detailed illustrations, comprehensive specifications of every model from the early DB right up to the V8 Vantage Roadster, and production statistics and racing results, Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul is an indispensable reference for motor enthusiasts and a book that truly does justice to the Aston Martin name.

Review:

I’ve never been a fan of automotive books, cars or anything of that nature, but when I saw the blurb about this book, I had to get it. Being the car of James Bond, I was interested in reading (and looking at the fantastic photos) about this car. This book chronicles all models produced from about 1986 to 2006, with the greatest focus on the hand crafted V-series cars of 1990-2000 (Virage and all its decedents). In many ways the book shows how the company has made the transition from a ultra-low volume maker of coach built cars into a maker of expensive semi-mass produced sports cars (like an English Ferrari). Personally I have mixed feelings about this transformation, but the book does a magnificent job paying homage to both eras.

Each chapter details one model, or one special run of cars. In some cases the "run" describes production quantities in single digits...in a few cases it even represents a single unique car. The book itself contains amazing photographers, and was obviously produced with great attention to detail and love of the cars/company.