Aston Martin has produced some of the finest sports cars made. One of the company’s most exciting periods was under the leadership of Augustus Bertelli. The company’s innovative cars, built between 1926 and 1940, were out-standing in terms of reliability and performance, and were proved in that toughest of motor sport classes, endurance racing – in particular the Le Mans 24 Hours race. This book looks at the cars produced by Aston Martin under the watchful eye of Bertelli, and covers the cars made by the company up to the start of the Second World War. It includes the 1.5-litre First, Second and Third Series cars and the 2-Litre range from 1936. These Aston Martins of the 1920s and 1930s – International, Le Mans, Mark II, Ulster and Speed models – are all covered in this book. Beyond Bertelli’s era, the book sheds light on the contributions made by engineer Claude Hill and owner Gordon Sutherland. It explores their innovative concept cars, ‘Donald Duck’ and Atom, which played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s post-war success under David Brown. Accompanied by a rich collection of contemporary and present-day photographs, this book stands as the definitive reference work solely dedicated to these beloved cars, revered by a passionate community of owners fostered by the Aston Martin Owners Club. Furthermore, these historic cars continue to enjoy great popularity, making this book a must-have for enthusiasts and admirers alike.

Matthew Vale is a car enthusiast and author and has written widely about historic British cars and motorbikes. He has long been a fan of Aston Martin, and is now an Aston Martin owner with a Gaydon-era DB9 sitting on the drive.