Aston martin celebrates a successful role in the Lord mayors Show, if a little damp.

Luxury British sports car maker Aston Martin is celebrating a successful role in one of the world’s most famous parades as six of the company’s models took to the streets of London on Saturday (9 November) for the historic pageant that is the Lord Mayor’s Show.

Adding more than a dash of glamour to proceedings, the stunning selection of sought-after sports cars joined the three-and-a-half-mile-long cavalcade at the invitation of The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers of London which selected the marque to participate in this, the firm’s centenary year.

The Aston Martins, which included a Vanquish Coupe dressed in the unmistakable Union Jack-inspired livery of the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign, made their way through the capital’s packed streets at a decidedly stately three miles per hour as an estimated half million spectators looked on.

Aston Martin is proudly partnering with the GREAT Britain campaign, the biggest ever initiative to showcase the very best of what Britain has to offer, driving investment, students and tourism to the UK.

Joining the uniquely eye-catching Vanquish Coupe in London was the new Vanquish Volante convertible – launched to eager buyers worldwide just a few weeks ago.

Sharing the limelight in the capital were examples of Aston Martin’s four-door sports car, the luxurious Rapide S, and elegantly timeless GT, the DB9.

Aston Martin Global Brand Communications Director, Janette Green, said: “To see our sports cars taking part in such an historic and famous event as The Lord Mayor’s Show is a special occasion for everyone associated with Aston Martin.

“I would like to thank the Worshipful Company for their kind invitation, and hope all those who saw the cars felt a little of the pride that I know we at Gaydon share in being part of this remarkable event.”

For almost 800 years, since, the time of medieval King John, every newly-elected Lord Mayor of London has to leave the safety of the City of London and travel up the Thames to Westminster to swear loyalty to the Crown.

Over the centuries the Mayor's journey has become one of London's favourite rituals, and around it grew the splendid festival that we know today as the Lord Mayor's Show.

The modern procession fills the space between Bank and Aldwych over a three- to four-hour period, cheered by a crowd of around half a million people and watched live on the BBC by millions more.

The focus on Aston Martin in this year’s event continues the brand’s year-long centenary party that began in London back in January with the unveiling of a plaque in Chelsea’s Henniker Mews – original home of the company that went on to become Aston Martin Lagonda.

Aston Martin continues its year-long centenary party at the Goodwood Revival

Aston Martin continues its year-long centenary party in the appropriately historic surroundings of The Goodwood Revival this weekend.

The luxury British sports car maker is a main sponsor of this year’s meeting at the famous old English race circuit where examples of some of Aston Martin’s rarest and most highly-prized sports cars of the revival period – 1948-1966 – will be on show, and in action.

Among the cars set to do battle on the West Sussex track include a brace of DBR1s, numerous DB3, DB3S and DB2/4 Mk IIIs, plus the 1961 Aston Martin Project 212.

Aston Martin’s centenary will be a signature theme of the 2013 Revival with the strong association between the brand and the historic racing circuit celebrated fittingly throughout the weekend.

Aside from the numerous iconic Aston Martin racing cars in action on the Goodwood track, in meticulously authentic 1950s-style the Earls Court motor show will play host to a broad selection of Aston Martin models from across the years. Rare and exotic examples on display will include A3, the oldest surviving Aston Martin; the Atom and Bulldog concepts; a selection of Zagato models and a highly-prized One-77 hypercar.

Earls Court will also play host to Aston Martin’s ‘cars of tomorrow’ which, of course, means current sports cars including the timeless DB9 Coupe and luxurious new Rapide S.

Commenting on the brand’s extensive involvement in this year’s Revival, Aston Martin UK Marketing Manager Leighton King said: “The Goodwood Revival is always a great occasion and a real highlight of the UK motoring calendar. It seems entirely fitting, therefore, that Aston Martin plays such a significant part in this year’s Revival in this, our centenary year.”

Goodwood Revival founder the Earl of March says: "I am really delighted that Aston Martin is supporting the Goodwood Revival so enthusiastically, especially in this, its Centenary year.  Some very important moments in Aston Martin's long and glorious history have taken place at Goodwood, including the marque taking the 1959 World Sportscar Championship in a hard-fought race in the DBR1 here.  I am looking forward to seeing so many beautiful road and race Aston Martins here over the 2013 Goodwood Revival weekend."