Editing Aston Martin (section)

=== 1987–2007: Ford Motor Company ===
As Aston Martin needed funds to survive in the long term, [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] bought a 75% stake in the company in 1987, and bought the rest later.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autoweek.com/news/a1919051/100-years-aston-martin/ |title=100 Years Of Aston Martin |website=Autoweek |date=27 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-aston-martin-20131214-story.html |title=100 years later, Aston Martin stays true to its classy sports car lineage |website=Los Angeles Times |date=14 December 2013}}</ref> In May of that year, Victor Gauntlett and [[Prince Michael of Kent]] were staying at the home of Contessa Maggi, the wife of the founder of the original [[Mille Miglia]], while watching the revival event. Another house guest was [[Walter Hayes]], vice-president of [[Ford of Europe]]. Despite problems over the previous acquisition of [[AC Cars]], Hayes saw the potential of the brand and the discussion resulted in [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] taking a share holding in September 1987.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.classicdriver.com/upload/classicinside/archive/CIUK2003-14.htm |title=ClassicInside – The ClassicDriver Newsletter |publisher=Classicdriver.com |access-date=30 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011191943/http://classicdriver.com/upload/classicinside/archive/CIUK2003-14.htm |archive-date=11 October 2007 }}</ref> In 1988, having produced some 5,000 cars in 20 years, a revived economy and successful sales of limited edition [[Aston Martin Vantage|Vantage]], and 52 [[Aston Martin V8 Zagato|Volante Zagato]] coupés at £86,000 each; Aston Martin finally retired the ancient V8 and introduced the [[Aston Martin Virage|Virage]] range.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/buying-guide-used-aston-martin-special |title=Aston Martin Virage Coupe (1989–2000) |work=Autocar |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>

Although Gauntlett was contractually to stay as chairman for two years, his racing interests took the company back into sports car racing in 1989 with limited European success. However, with engine rule changes for the 1990 season and the launch of the new Volante model, Ford provided the limited supply of [[Cosworth]] engines to the [[Jaguar cars]] racing team. As the entry-level [[Aston Martin DB7|DB7]] would require a large engineering input, Ford agreed to take full control of Aston Martin, and Gauntlett handed over Aston Martin's chairmanship to Hayes in 1991.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/13/1050172472030.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |title=Keeping the best of British running |date=14 April 2003}}</ref> In 1992, the high-performance variant of the Virage called the [[Aston Martin Virage#Vantage|Vantage]] was announced, and the following year Aston Martin renewed the DB range by announcing the DB7.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/motoring/rotunda-cars/aston-martin-db7-1993 |title=Aston Martin DB7 1993 |publisher=Royal Automobile Club |access-date=6 December 2018 |archive-date=28 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328165101/https://www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/motoring/rotunda-cars/aston-martin-db7-1993 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

By 1993, Ford had fully acquired the company after having built a stake in 1987.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-astonmartin-stroll-history-timeline-idUSKBN1ZU15W |title=Timeline: Twists and turns in Aston Martin's long history |website=Reuters |date=31 January 2020}}</ref> Ford placed Aston Martin in the [[Premier Automotive Group]], invested in new manufacturing and ramped up production. In 1994, Ford opened a new factory at Banbury Road in [[Bloxham]] to manufacture the DB7. In 1995, Aston Martin produced a record 700 cars.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/19/automobiles/aston-martin-s-mission-to-be-ford-s-ferrari.html |title=Aston Martin's Mission: To Be Ford's Ferrari |website=The New York Times |date=19 November 1999}}</ref> Until the Ford era, cars had been produced by hand coachbuilding craft methods, such as the [[English wheel]]. During the mid-1990s, the Special Projects Group, a secretive unit with Works Service at Newport Pagnell, created an array of special coach-built vehicles for the Brunei royal family.<ref>David Dowsey (2007). Aston Martin: Power, Beauty and Soul. Peleus Press. {{ISBN|9780957875951}}.</ref> In 1998, the 2,000th DB7 was built, and in 2002, the 6,000th, exceeding production of all of the previous DB series models. The DB7 range was revamped by the addition of more powerful [[Aston Martin DB7|V12 Vantage]] models in 1999, and in 2001, Aston Martin introduced the V12-engined flagship model called the [[Aston Martin Vanquish|Vanquish]] which succeeded the aging Virage (now called the V8 Coupé).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/car-reviews/aston-martin/vanquish/vanquish-2001-2007 |title=Aston Martin Vanquish (2001–2007) used car review |publisher=RAC |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Aston Martin DB9 - Birmingham - 2005-10-14 (2) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|The DB9 was the first car to use the "vertical/horizontal" platform.]]
At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan in 2003, Aston Martin introduced the [[Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2005)|V8 Vantage]] concept car. Expected to have few changes before its introduction in 2005, the Vantage brought back the classic V8 engine to allow Aston Martin to compete in a larger market. 2003 also saw the opening of the [[Gaydon]] factory, the first purpose-built factory in Aston Martin's history. The facility is situated on a {{convert|55|acre|ha|adj=on}} site of a former [[RAF]] [[V Bomber]] [[RAF Gaydon|airbase]], with an {{convert|8000|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} front building for offices, meeting rooms and customer reception, and a {{convert|35000|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} production building.<ref name="aml gaydon"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.sdc.co.uk/portfolio/lagonda-facility/ |title=ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA HQ, GAYDON |work=SDC |access-date=12 June 2020}}</ref> Also introduced in 2003 was the [[Aston Martin DB9|DB9]] coupé, which replaced the ten-year-old [[Aston Martin DB7|DB7]]. A [[convertible]] version of the DB9, the [[DB9 Volante]], was introduced at the 2004 [[Detroit auto show]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.autonews.com/article/20040112/SUB/401120857/2004-detroit-auto-show:-aston-martin-shows-db9-volante |title=2004 Detroit Auto Show: Aston Martin shows DB9 Volante |publisher=Autonews |date=12 January 2004 |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>

In October 2004, Aston Martin set up the dedicated {{convert|12500|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} [[Aston Martin Engine Plant|Aston Martin Engine Plant (AMEP)]] within the [[Ford Germany]] plant in [[Niehl, Cologne]]. With the capacity to produce up to 5,000 engines a year by 100 specially trained personnel, like traditional Aston Martin engine production from Newport Pagnell, assembly of each unit was entrusted to a single technician from a pool of 30, with V8 and V12 variants assembled in under 20 hours. By bringing engine production back to within Aston Martin, the promise was that Aston Martin would be able to produce small runs of higher performance variants' engines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/aston-martin-opens-new-engine-plant |title=Aston Martin opens new engine plant |website=Autocar |date=29 October 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://astonmartins.com/factory-guide/aston-martin-engine-plant-amep/ |title=Aston Martin Engine Plant (AMEP) |website=astonmartins.com |date=29 October 2004}}</ref> This expanded engine capacity allowed the entry-level [[Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2005)|V8 Vantage]] sports car to enter production at the Gaydon factory in 2006, joining the DB9 and DB9 Volante.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/car-reviews/aston-martin/vantage/vantage-2006-2017/ |title=Aston Martin Vantage (2006–2017) used car review |publisher=RAC |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>

In December 2003, Aston Martin announced it would return to motor racing in 2005. A new division was created, called [[Aston Martin Racing]], which became responsible, together with [[Prodrive]], for the design, development, and management of the DBR9 program. The DBR9 competes in the GT class in [[sports car racing|sports car races]], including the world-famous [[24 Hours of Le Mans]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.motorsport.com/in/lemans/photos/aston-martin-racing-aston-martin-14/16586770/ |title=Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin DBR9 |work=Motor Sport |date=30 May 2018 |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref>

In 2006, an internal audit led Ford to consider divesting itself of parts of its [[Premier Automotive Group]]. After suggestions of selling [[Jaguar Cars]], [[Land Rover]], or [[Volvo Cars]] were weighed, Ford announced in August 2006 it had engaged [[UBS AG]] to sell all or part of Aston Martin at auction.<ref>{{cite web |last=Martinez |first=James |url=http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/aston-martin/aston-martin-the-past-the-present-and-tomorrow/ |publisher=Motor Authority |title=Ford confirms Aston Martin is for sale |date=31 August 2006 |access-date=23 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521091102/http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/aston-martin/aston-martin-the-past-the-present-and-tomorrow/ |archive-date=21 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>