Who co-founded Aston Martin with Robert Bamford?

Lionel Martin co-founded Aston Martin with Robert Bamford.

The partnership began as Bamford & Martin in London in 1913. The two men initially sold Singer cars and serviced vehicles, but Lionel Martin’s enthusiasm for competition encouraged them to develop cars of their own. Martin raced at Aston Hill near Aston Clinton, which supplied the “Aston” part of the future marque’s name.

Their first car carrying the Aston-Martin name was created when Martin fitted a Coventry-Simplex four-cylinder engine to an Isotta Fraschini chassis. The company’s first premises were at Henniker Mews in Kensington, although the First World War delayed production; the first car was produced in March 1915.

A common mix-up is crediting later owners such as David Brown or chairman Victor Gauntlett with founding the company. Brown transformed the brand after buying it in 1947, but the original founders were Martin and Bamford.