This summer, Autoworld dedicates its pop-up exhibition space to the iconic British brand Aston Martin. This Elegance in Motion exhibition awaits visitors from 24 April to 21 June 2026. For more information on access, opening hours and the agenda of future exhibitions, please see their website.
The organisers secured a selection of around 15 exceptional vehicles, and the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the rich history of a brand synonymous with British elegance, sportiness and refinement. This exhibition illustrates perfectly what we adore about Belgian car culture. This could have turned into an Aston Martin advertisement so quickly, but instead we got to see super rare classics that are pinnacles of auctions and historical collector’s items, so cherished that even the factory decided to build replicas of them.
The oldest car is the only prewar car, rewarded with its own podium. The 1925 Aston Martin Grand Prix is one of the three surviving examples, the only one entered in competition by the factory in 1925.
Three coachbuilt rarities to make the factory blush
The first podium by the entrance honours collaborations with renowned coachbuilders and design houses such as the DB4 GT Zagato Recreation and the V8 Zagato.
As the name suggests, the V8 Zagato was based on the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, with an all-alloy body designed by Zagato. The design tried to be an angular modern interpretation of the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato of the 1960s (see a bit later). The controversial design was, however, ahead of its time, but in a bad way. The mere 52 coupés and 37 convertibles built between 1986 and 1990 confirm that.
In our humble opinion, Zagato had many more misses than hits, but when they did manage to score, they hit the bullseye…. The other Zagato of the exhibition is a testament to that. The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is a grand tourer designed by Zagato and produced between 1960 and 1963.
This model earned such prestige among collectors that an unauthorised industry of replicas has arisen, to such an extent that Aston decided to make a dent in that market. In 2019, on the occasion of Zagato’s centenary, a further limited official series was issued with 19 units produced.
The first car on the podium is a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 MK I GT, designed by Carrozzeria Touring in Milan. The lightweight body was designed following Touring’s signature Superleggera construction system. This “super lightweight” system consists of a structure of small-diameter tubes to form the body’s shape, with thin alloy panels attached to cover and strengthen the framework. Additionally, the system offered great versatility, allowing innovative body shapes. The license agreement enabled Aston Martin to use the design and the Superleggera construction method at Newton Pagnell works. There were five series of DB4, produced from 1958 until 1963. Some 75 “GT” competition models were also produced, and this car is one of those authentic replicas.
Jaw dropping supercars on the centre stage
The centre stage is occupied by modern cars, featuring our favourite modern Aston, the 2010 One-77. The One-77’s handcrafted aluminium body is built on a full carbon fibre monocoque chassis, limited to 77 specimens.
The second rarity is a 2024 Aston Martin Valour, a special edition celebrating the brand’s 110th anniversary. The design is an evolution of the Vector (also present, more on that a bit later), reimagining the iconic 1970s/1980s V8 Vantage and legendary “Muncher” Le Mans racer using cutting-edge materials and technology. The 6-speed manual transmission is mated to a 5.2 litre Twin Turbo V12 for maximum driver engagement and timeless classic appeal.
The 2022 Aston Martin DBR22 is a speedster-type supercar inspired by the Aston Martin DB3S and paying homage to the legendary Aston Martin DBR1 sports racing car, the winner of the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. It is paired with Aston Martin’s own superbike, the 2020 Aston Martin AMB001.
The section with the postwar quartet includes a black 1948 Aston Martin DB1 “Spa Special”, an elegant British racing green 1950 Aston Martin DB2, a red 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MK II, which was the “company car” of Belgian King Baudouin, and a 1957 Aston Martin DB MK III Drophead.
A hero car to rule them all
No Aston anthology would be complete without a DB5, arguably their most iconic model, immortalised by the James Bond franchise. Autoworld secured a 2020 Aston Martin DB5 James Bond Continuation, a factory replica with add-ons honouring the hero car from Goldfinger. In 2020, as the next phase of the Continuation programme, which had started in 2017 with the reborn DB4GT, Aston Martin began construction of 25 new DB5 Goldfinger-themed cars at the factory in Newport Pagnell, where the first DB5s were built.
Several of the gadgets were designed to be functional, including a smoke screen, a simulated oil slick delivery system, revolving number plates, and a rear bullet shield. The cars were finished in the same Silver Birch colour scheme as the original. The extensive collaboration between Aston Martin and the James Bond franchise is well illustrated by earlier exhibitions, including the Bond in Brussels exhibition a few years ago.
The car behind the Bond replica is a 2019 Aston Martin Victor, a one-off supercar produced based on the monocoque chassis of the One-77, unveiled at the Hampton Court Palace Concours of Elegance in England. It pays tribute to Malcolm Victor Gauntlett, who revived the brand in the 1980s and led it until 1991.
Despite the compact size of this short-lived exhibition, Autoworld arranged a full programme, worthy of this breathtaking selection. The organisers kick-started the exhibition with a casino-themed preview night and are planning a Cars & Coffee event for Sunday, 14 June 2026, featuring British classic and sports cars.
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