At nearly 110 years old, Aston Martin has existed almost as long as the motor car, and during its tenure as one of the world’s finest sports car manufacturers, much has changed in the automotive world. This week, Aston Martin Reading and Cheltenham’s long-awaited first destination drive-out of the year saw 12 customers and their guests heading to the Haynes International Motor Museum in Somerset for a post-lockdown immersive journey through Aston Martin’s history and much more.
The day for all 12 customers began at their respective showrooms in Reading or Cheltenham, lining up a collection of the latest Aston Martin sports cars and GTs, including Vantage, DB11 and DBS Superleggera. From there, with the destination set for the museum – just outside Yeovil in the South West – the cars headed off in convoy, planning to congregate for a quick break at Leigh Delamere before completing the final leg to the museum in a spectacular 14-car convoy.
On arrival, the Aston Martin Reading and Cheltenham guests headed straight to the Napier Room – named for D. Napier & Son, famed for producing the engines that powered many speed record holders – within the museum for a welcome drink before heading out to see the exhibits.
The museum itself is one of the largest living and working motoring museums in the world, with each of the pieces regularly run, driven and cared for. Exhibits are dedicated to Williams F1, early motoring pioneers, Great British Marques – including an Aston Martin or two – and The American Dream. This latter exhibit hosts one of the jewels in the museum’s crown, a Duesenberg Model J valued in the millions. Upon its release in 1931, the Model J was twice as powerful as any other American car on sale.
Once guests had finished meandering through the museum, they were free to enjoy lunch in the on-site restaurant at their leisure, before making their way back into their state-of-the-art Aston Martins, with a new-found appreciate of their rich history.
