The rock and roll legend’s DB5/1896/R went for £350,000 at the COYS True Greats Auction in Westminster following intense bidding from telephone bidders around the world.

“There was a battle royal for this car which went for some £150,000.00 over its estimate,” said Chris Routledge, MD of car auction house COYS.

The car went to an anonymous Beatles and Aston Martin fanatic from Houston, Texas, who briefly commented: “George Harrison would be amazed about all the money his car is going to raise for Christian causes.”

Ordered at the back end of 1964, Harrison was handed the keys on New Year’s Day 1965 in the middle of the Beatles’ 24-night run at London’s Hammersmith Odeon.

This wasn’t the only car once owned by a guitar legend to be sold during COYS’ latest auction.

Jimmy Page’s old Cord 810 Phaeton sold for £80,000 while a Mercedes-Benz 540 K formerly owned by Bernie Ecclestone outdid its £500k estimate, going for £864,000.

Based on the Toyota iQ, the tiny Cygnet car is designed to condense all of Aston Martin’s luxury nature into a minute form. With a high level of personalisation options, the Cygnet includes a choice of six ‘Race Collection’ paint schemes, hexagon perforated leather and quilted Alcantara.

Also offered in two distinctive and limited Launch Editions, Aston Martin promises that its smallest model offers all the luxury performance found in its other cars. From its breathtaking One-77 supercar and the elegant V12 Zagato to the powerful Vantage range and new Virage to the DB9, DBS and four-door Rapide, every Aston Martin is designed to reflect the brand’s core values of Power, Beauty and Soul.

Starting from $603,578 HKD and ¥4,750,000 YEN, the Cygnet features all of the marque’s characteristic design language, including signature details such as the metal grille, elongated side strake and inverted rear lights, establish a distinguished, solid form with strong road presence.

Cygnet benefits from high levels of active and passive safety technology to protect driver, passengers and pedestrians, with a range of breakthrough features rarely seen in small cars. Cygnet delivers everything the city driver needs, from essential equipment like ABS, nine airbags, stability control, electronic brake assist and retractable door mirrors to a luxurious interior specification, including keyless entry and start and heated seats, all packed into a car that is just three metres long.

The Aston Martin Cygnet is a car without compromise, as dedicated to urban functionalism as its sporting siblings are to driver involvement, dynamics and long-distance comfort. With space for up to four people, Cygnet is compact, safe, efficient and highly manoeuvrable.

The Cygnet is available to order now in Hong Kong and Japan from the Aston Martin dealership network with deliveries expected in the first quarter of 2012.

Cygnet Launch Editions

Launch Edition White and Launch Edition Black add even more Aston Martin style to the little car. Cygnet Launch Edition White brings together a serene exterior; finished in Snow White paint with a mix of silver mesh, chrome brightwork and diamond turned alloy wheels. The interior of the White edition features seats hand trimmed in Pearl white leather with perforated Alcantara inserts, complemented by satin chrome. On the exterior, Aston Martin’s attention to detail is exemplified with the iconic wings badge appearing in matching white.

In contrast, Cygnet Launch Edition Black features Magic Black metallic paint with a specially developed deep sea green effect, offset by matt black louvers and chrome brightwork. Inside, the seats and dash are finished in pure black full grain leather, perforated in a specially-developed diamond pattern. Satin chrome accents adorn the cabin, while the wings badges are rendered in black throughout.

Strictly limited to fifty examples across Hong Hong and Japan, the Cygnet Launch Edition comes with a bespoke Bill Amberg five-piece luggage set, especially designed for and tailored to Cygnet. Available in a contemporary combination of black leather with technical fabric, the set comprises glove box bag, removable door pocket bag, holdall, garment bag and a collapsible tote bag.

Orders are now being taken on a strictly first come first served basis and production is expected to commence during summer 2012 at Aston Martin’s global headquarters at Gaydon, Warwickshire. 

Of the V12 Zagato, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Dr. Ulrich Bez, said: “Such style, exclusivity and fastidious craftsmanship ensures it will be one of the most highly coveted models in Aston Martin’s 98-year history. A fabulous celebration of the iconic DB4GT Zagato, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the V12 Zagato is the perfect inspiration for the next 50 years of Aston Martin.”

In honour of the performance and racing heritage of previous collaborations, the first two V12 Zagatos were developed as endurance race cars from the start and went into their track debut just a week after being shown to the public for the first time on the shores of Lake Como, Italy at the Villa D’Este Concours.

Entering the new V12 Zagatos in this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hour on 25^th/26^th June extended the company’s racing philosophy at the famous circuit. For five years Aston Martin has signed-off its new products by entering a car which is as close to the road car as possible and subjecting it to the toughest 24 hour test on what best simulates the extremities of public roads. This year went a step further by testing two cars at their prototype stage; combining forces to successfully cover more than 230 laps and over 3,700 miles in the 24 hour race at what Sir Jackie Stewart famously called ‘The Green Hell’.

Since opening in 2003, 13 new major production car Aston Martins have been developed and successfully brought to production at Gaydon, demonstrating the company’s ability to engineer and bring to reality cars in a shortened period of time. Design work on the V12 Zagato began in mid-2010 with initial engineering following in January 2011.

Featuring a handcrafted aluminium and carbon fibre body, the V12 Zagato delivers a beautiful and muscular design not possible using pre-formed panel techniques. Using the influences and skill of nearly 100 years of heritage in the craft, every aluminium panel was formed using an English wheel and traditionally crafted body bucks. Iconic Zagato design cues include the double bubble roof created in this case from five separate pieces illustrating further the intensity of craftsmanship involved in the construction of the V12 Zagato.

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Designed for the focused driver, the V12 Zagato has been honed with pure driving enjoyment in mind. The V12 Zagato combines Aston Martin’s most dynamic bonded aluminium platform with the power of the 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque.

The strictly limited Aston Martin V12 Zagato is on sale now, priced at £330,000 GBP (exc. local taxes) with first deliveries expected from the second half of 2012.

The car maker’s smallest model and first city car is now available as the ‘Cygnet & colette’ special edition. 

To celebrate the collaboration, 14 examples of the ‘Cygnet & colette’ city car will be hand-crafted via the company’s ultimate personalisation service; Aston Martin Works Tailored which offers limitless options personalised precisely to customer specification through the marque’s world famous Works Service facility.

The Aston Martin design team worked closely with their counterparts at colette to create the striking limited edition which features Lightning Silver paint with exclusive colette blue styling details including a race collection inspired front bumper and bonnet livery, mirror caps and diamond turned road wheels. The Bitter Chocolate themed interior takes inspiration from colette’s mascot Oscar, the chocolate-brown Labrador.

Aston Martin Director of Design, Marek Reichman said: “Aston Martin and colette are both cool brands that successfully blend modernity and innovation. It made perfect sense to work together and create this limited piece of automotive fashion for the city.

“The colette car is the first of the exclusive ‘Cygnet &’ collaborations. These cars will give Aston Martin a relevant platform to reach out to new customers in urban areas.”

Elegant and distinctive, individual and practical, the Aston Martin Cygnet is the ultimate Tailor-Fit solution for city living. Launched in May 2011 with first customer orders arriving at European dealers now, Cygnet is hand-crafted for the city and like every Aston Martin it can be uniquely personalised to suit individual taste and style, bringing a new level of luxury and bespoke capability to city cars.

Since opening its doors 14 years ago in March 1997, colette has reinvented the concept of retail, becoming a Parisian landmark. The state of the art store is the first stop for many visiting the French Capital thanks to the incredible selection of exclusive, unusual and beautiful luxury items.

This bespoke Cygnet is an expression of colette’s values and style and the perfect choice for city driving. It comes with a selection of goodies to ensure that every trip is fun and to pass the time in the traffic including candies, a Wallpaper* Paris guide, a custom Sigg bottle to stay hydrated and the latest colette compilation CDs.”

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The colette team focussed on materials, colours and styling to create its limited edition Cygnet demonstrating the extent to which an individual or organisation can tailor any     Aston Martin to their own personal exacting taste with the company’s Works Tailored programme.

Orders for the 14 ‘Cygnet & colette’ pieces can be placed through the colette store in Paris for delivery by the end of the year. Prices start from €48,995.

Since it’s unveiling in production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 the Aston Martin Rapide has been widely acclaimed as one of the world’s most elegant four-door sports car. Functional yet luxurious ,it provides space for up to four adults, it features the engaging driving experience synonymous with Aston Martins. Quickly established as a firm favourite with customers and critics alike, the Aston Martin Rapide, recently affirmed its position as one of the most beautiful cars on sale today after being voted 2011 World Car Design of the Year at the New York International Auto Show by a jury of 66 international journalists.

Dr Ulrich Bez said: ”Nobody could have failed to be moved by the recent events in Japan and we at Aston Martin are no exception. After many years presence in the market and closer ties being forged with the Japanese automotive business in recent projects, we have many friends in the region and we wanted to do something to help.

“The Bonhams Aston Martin Auction seems the perfect platform to encourage the extended Aston Martin family to support this cause, so we have decided to auction my Rapide which I have used in my role as Chief Executive to represent Aston Martin at numerous events in both UK and Europe. I hope this superb car will raise a substantial amount to help make a difference.”

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Chassis number ‘F00039’ is a UK specification, right hand drive Aston Martin Rapide built in late 2009 for the exclusive business use of Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer since 2000. This luxuriously specified car is finished in Concours Blue Paint, with an Obsidian Black leather interior stitched in Falcon Grey, and black carpets. The fascia is trimmed in walnut veneer. The Rapide also has heated and cooled front and rear seats, an integrated garage door opener and the rear seat entertainment system incorporating a twin-screen DVD system and infrared headphones.

The 2011 Bonhams Aston Martin Auction opens from 9am on Saturday 21^st May at Aston Martin Works Service in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Set to sit alongside some of the world’s most desirable and powerful cars , the Virage will show off its ability to combine appealing-and yet- opposing qualities, sporting yet comfortable, powerful yet refined.

The Virage is the latest example of UK public debuts at Salon Prive.  In 2009, Aston Martin chose Salon Privé to present the first public viewing of its £1 million ‘One-77’.  That same year was also the first public showing of Jaguar’s all-new XJ.  This year, Salon Privé will also host UK debuts of models from BMW and Land Rover.

David Bagley, Co-Founder of Salon Privé said: “Aston Martin Virage delivers the ideal balance between outright sports car performance and trademark sporting luxury and that makes it perfect for Salon Privé.

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“In our sixth year, with a new venue, a larger Concours d’Elegance and a ‘Quintessentially English’ RM Auction; Salon Prive is coming of age and we’re delighted to host Aston Martin’s Virage debut this year.”

For 2011 Salon Privé moves forward to June (22^nd – 24^th) placing it right in the middle of the UK summer season events calendar; this teamed with the better location, greater accessibility and ample parking for those wishing to drive this year’s event is sure to be better than ever. Tickets start from £175 + VAT and are fully inclusive of Pommery Champagne, Lobster Luncheon and afternoon teas as well as access all areas. Tickets can purchased via the Salon Privé website www.salonprivelondon.com, or by calling the ticket hotline +44 (0) 808 100 2205.

The iconic luxury car maker opened the doors to its first dealership in the country on Friday, bringing its sports cars to the city of Mumbai for the first time.

Aston Martin will commence its presence in India with a new dedicated facility in Mumbai in partnership with Performance Cars (a division of Infinity Cars Pvt. Ltd.), who has enjoyed a strong reputation in the Indian luxury car market for several years.

Aston Martin’s Chief Commercial Officer, Michael van der Sande said: “India represents a new opportunity for us and as part of our programme of growing the reach of the global Aston Martin dealership network; this expansion brings our brand to a different audience in a new market.

“Our decision to bring the Aston Martin brand to India is driven by a strong level of interest and enthusiasm from potential customers in an emerging luxury market. We have taken our time to find the right advocates for Aston Martin and I am confident that we have selected strong partners with whom we look forward to starting a successful relationship.”

Performance Cars, Managing Director, Mr. Lalit Choudary added: “Partnering Aston Martin offers us an unique opportunity to bring one of the world’s iconic brands to one of the most discerning and fast growing markets.  We are confident about the brand’s success in India given the range of models, the comfortable ride quality the cars offer on our roads and the exclusivity they accord.”

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Aston Martin customers at the new dealership will be able to view and test-drive selected models from the entire range of V8 Vantage Coupe and Roadster, V12 Vantage, DB9 Coupe and Volante, DBS Coupe and Volante and the four-door sports car; Rapide. These models will also be joined by the recently launched V8 Vantage S and the new Virage.

The opening of the Aston Martin Mumbai showroom strengthens the company’s global dealership network to a total of 134 dealers in 42 countries. As part of the company’s on-going expansion plans Aston Martin has recently entered into Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey whilst seeking continued growth in new markets as well as emerging markets including China and the Middle East.

Perfect for Aston Martin owners and wannabe-owners, the new App is designed to reflect Aston Martin’s unique approach to automotive manufacture – fusing a strong heritage and traditional craftsmanship with modern leading technology.

Attention to detail has gone in to securing the marque’s digital stamp, including an acoustically accurate accelerometer and real life content, such as sounds from the entire current model line-up being driven to extreme on the track.

Regular updates will also ensure ‘ahead of the curve’ technology on all functions featured on the free and premium apps. Push notification will allow users to see all the latest Aston Martin news and exclusive content as well as all updates via the marque’s social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The Aston Martin ‘Explore’ app will be available to download for free from the iTunes App Store^TM from 22 December, with a version for the iPad to follow in early 2011. The company will also launch a premium Aston Martin ‘Experience’ app early next year.  Visit astonmartinapp.com for more information.

The first ever city car from the luxury car maker will go into production at the company’s Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire in 2011, the firm reports. Called the Cygnet and based on Toyota’s diminutive iQ model, the car was first revealed as a concept car in March at the Geneva Motor Show.

At just three metres, the Cygnet is designed to offer all the comfort and luxury synonymous with the brand, just on a much smaller scale. 

“It is time to think differently. Aston Martin is honest and we don’t make compromises” says Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.

“Whatever we do, we do right. If we do performance, we do performance; we don’t downsize or compromise our sports cars. The Cygnet needs to satisfy the demands of emissions and space. It is a car without compromise, just like every other Aston Martin.

“Our customers need a small car for urban and city use, and they want the right tools for the right job, to downsize creatively without compromising intelligence, artistry and personality.”

“Cygnet is small but luxurious, an Aston Martin tailor fit for the city,” says Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Director of Design. With an almost unlimited palette of materials, colours and textures, each hand-finished Cygnet will be truly unique, a personalised space within the city. “Luxury is not constrained by scale.”

Further details on the Aston Martin Cygnet including pricing and specification will be revealed later this year. The Cygnet will be the eighth major production car Aston Martin has introduced at its state-of-the art factory since 2004. 

According to the NHTSA, the luxury car maker is recalling some of its cars because a bolt holding the lower control arm in the front suspension could crack, affecting the handling of the car and could increase the risk of a smash.

The recall affects some 1,090 cars made between 2007 and 2008 sold in the US. The car brand’s dealers have been instructed to replace the bolts free of charge when the recall starts this month.

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It is the believed that the recall is simply precautionary as Aston Martin reports that it has not heard of any incidences of the bolts actually breaking from any of its customers across the world.