Aston is car of choice

It promises the busy professional "power, beauty and soul" in a sculpted aluminium body: the Aston Martin car of James Bond fame is a popular choice for London's financial elite.

The brand, put up for sale by struggling Ford Motor Co., may soon be bought by a consortium led by Dave Richards, head of the performance car specialists Prodrive; other bidders such as British buyout firm Doughty Hanson also remain in the running.

Inside a small, bright showroom on London's stylish Park Lane, smartly dressed men gaze at the three low, sleek models in burgundy, deep navy and pewter.

"It's an understatement that's a statement," said James Robson, a property developer in his 40s, dressed in a navy pinstripe suit, light-blue shirt and tie.

"I want to buy one for the badge, the prestige. I've had Ferraris in the past, but this is a less flashy car - and it's British," he said as he emerged from the showroom.

"I think successful high-earners buy them, people who are not wanting to make a big statement. People who know about them will recognise and appreciate them."

The company, which was founded at the start of World War One, battled against financial difficulties and the pressures of producing hand-crafted cars in an industry powered by mass production. It had to be bailed out of difficulties by wealthy investors several times in the 1920s.

It was not until industrialist David Brown bought the company in the late 1940s that it enjoyed some stability.

Brown's initials are still used to name individual models. Aston was fully acquired by Ford in 1993.

The Aston Martin name was boosted by its star turn in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, with Sean Connery swapping his Bentley for a gadget-laden DB5, complete with ejector seat, rockets and retractable armoured shield.

An Aston Martin has been Bond's choice ever since, with Daniel Craig behind the wheel of a silver DBS in the 2006 film Casino Royale. However, unlike Bond, London's finance professionals are not set on smashing their cars to pieces in the pursuit of enigmatic women and criminals.

"The biggest concern in London is that it gets knocked or scratched," said a city hedge fund manager who bought a V8 Vantage, and treats it with special care.

"Since the Vanquish and the DB9 they just started making really good-looking cars, I just really liked the look of it," he said. "It was great when you were out on the road, particularly when you were driving in Europe."

While on their travels Aston Martin owners can become part of an exclusive club hosted by the company, which offers perks such as a trip to Le Mans racing track in France. The glamour surrounding the brand's history means Aston Martin can attract a sizeable pool of wealthy individuals, according to one Aston Martin dealer.

"We have a whole range of customers successful businessmen, self-made businessmen, lottery winners," dealer Alex Merricks said.

"It's not a brash brand, it is about understated excellence, engineering and design," he said. "I certainly don't think it is just about status symbols, though it is about being part of an exclusive club; but it also shows appreciation of design and engineering." It also requires a healthy bank account. Prices start from about 80,000 pounds ($155,000).

Reuters