All the very best Astons in one space.
This fall, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is opening its first-ever Aston Martin exhibit, titled Performance and Prestige: A History of Aston Martin. Now open to the public, the exhibit explores more than a century of design and engineering from the British marque known for combining luxury, performance, and a touch of flair. It’s a rare opportunity to see how the brand evolved from early racing machines to the modern hypercars, continuing to define its future.
The showcase brings together more than a dozen cars that capture Aston Martin’s most memorable moments. The 1949 DB2 Prototype represents the postwar rebirth of sports cars, earning a class podium at Le Mans and setting the stage for future DB models. The 1961 DB4GT Zagato, one of only nineteen built, remains a perfect meeting of British craftsmanship and Italian style. Across the room, the 1979 Bulldog stands as proof of Aston Martin’s willingness to experiment, a one-off concept with gullwing doors and a twin-turbo V8 that still looks ahead of its time. More recent models like the 2015 Vulcan and 2021 Valkyrie Spider bring the brand’s story into the modern era, with naturally aspirated V12s and track-inspired aero that blur the line between race car and road car.
Adding a competitive edge, the Aston Martin AMR23 Formula 1 car sits proudly as part of the display. The car delivered eight podium finishes during the 2023 season with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, marking a strong return to top-tier motorsport. Positioned alongside its ancestors, it connects the brand’s earliest racing dreams to its current pursuit for the podium.
Since its founding in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, Aston Martin has balanced racing spirit with timeless design. The cars on display at Petersen show how that philosophy has endured, each reflecting the era it was built in. Performance and Prestige: A History of Aston Martin runs from October 26, 2025, through October 2026 at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
Source: Petersen Museum
