The cornerstone of David Brown's company In 1947, British industrialist David Brown, who had made his fortune in mechanical parts and tractors, bought the sports car company Aston Martin, founded in 1913 by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin. The first car of this new era was the 2L Sport, later renamed the DB1, with “DB” standing for David Brown. Rather heavy and modestly powered, the DB1 got the post-war Aston Martin era off to a slow start, and only 14 units were produced. However, the DB1 immediately set the tone for the styling of future DB models, featuring a classic yet dynamic design and a three-part grille.