During this time almost 13,000 cars have been produced and more than 2,000 a year have been restored and serviced.

Adrian Hearn looks at the best Astons of the past half century.

DB5
The most iconic Aston of all time became a classic when the ultra-cool Sean Connery drove one as James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger. The 4-litre straight-six engine produced 282bhp and 288lb/ft of pulling power. This accelerated the DB5 from 0-60mph in 8.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 141mph. While it doesn’t handle that well, the brakes aren’t too hot and it’s only as quick a diesel saloon by today’s standards, the DB5 has remained a legend thanks to its gorgeous looks and iconic image. Daniel Craig even drove one in Casino Royale. But if you’re looking for a DB5 in good nick, you’ll have to fork out upwards of £80,000.

V8
The V8 was a monster of the Seventies and Eighties. Looking more like a brutal beast than an elegant work of art, it was the definitive British muscle car. The 5.3-litre animal produced 315bhp and accelerated from 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds and tops out at 160mph. But for those not happy with 5.3-litres, specialist companies will fit the V8 with a titanic 7.3-litre lump.

DB7
Built between 1994 and 2003, the DB7 was a return to beautiful Astons after the muscle-car image of the V8. Designed by Ian Callum, the DB7 was available with a mild-mannered 3.2-litre engine or a mighty 6-litre V12. The V12 rocketed to 60mph in five seconds before running at 185mph. And it requires frequent trips to the filling station, managing a combined 14.2mpg.

V8 Vantage
The entry-level baby Aston, the Vantage costs just £91,000. But like most cars that adorn the winged badge, it’s one of the sexiest cars in the world. For your hard-earned money the V8 Vantage has 4.2-litre V8, producing 300bhp and 302lb/ft of pulling power. This accelerates the car from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and runs out of steam at 175mph.

Vanquish S
According to Aston Martin, the Vanquish is ‘a car that fuses hand-crafted tradition with the highest calibre of automotive technology’. The Vanquish S is powered by a monstrous 6-litre V12 producing 520bhp and 425lb/ft of pulling power. This launches the S from 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds and can boast at being the only production Aston with a top speed of 200mph. The last car to ever roll of Pagnell’s production line was the £182,095 Vanquish S Ultimate Edition.

DBS

The latest edition to the Aston Martin stable of beauty.  Effortlessly sexy and mind-numbingly powerful, the DBS could be the greatest Aston ever.  During the filming of Casino Royale, three DBSs were written off on the Millbrook Test Track in Bedfordshire. Only 300 of these babies will go on sale later this year for a cool £170,000.

DBRS9
A DB9 with the inside gutted for racetrack performance. Aston Martin owners Prodrive increased engine power by 20 per cent to 550bhp and reduced weight by 480kg. This means nearly 430bhp/per ton – more than a Ferrari F50. To improve handling, the DBRS9’s suspension has been lowered and stiffened. In this year’s Le Mans 24 hour race, the Aston won the GT1 category and came fifth overall.

Rapide
Four-door, four-seater coupes are all the rage at the moment and Aston Martin don’t want to be left in the dark. Competing with the Maserati Quattroporte, Porsche Panamera  and BMW CS, the Rapide – which will go on sale in 2009 – will use the 6-litre V12 as seen in the other mega-sexy Astons and have a top speed touching 190mph.