Savile Row – Coachbuilt Aston Martins of the ’50s & ’60s

After World War II, many of the world’s auto manufacturers returned to car production embracing many of the technologies and manufacturing innovations developed as a result of the war effort. Aerodynamics and unit-body construction were just a few of the advents refined by the war effort that would soon become central tenets for any manufacturer hoping to stay alive on the new automotive landscape. However, money and resources were extremely tight—especially in war-ravaged Europe—and competing manufacturers still needed exciting, exclusive “halo” cars to draw attention to their products. The solution for many small manufacturers was a return to the venerable, pre-war practice of custom “coachbuilt” vehicles. As had been done since the birth of the automobile, a manufacturer could send a rolling chassis to any number of European—though mostly Italian—coachbuilders or carrozzeria, that would efficiently clothe their chassis in a sexy, one-off, custom body. For many British sports car manufacturers, this coachbuilt tradition became a very easy, inexpensive way to offer their more exclusive clientele the automotive equivalent of a Savile Row suit. One British manufacturer that used this custom tailoring to great effect was Aston Martin.

Heavy Industry