At Gaydon in England, Aston Martin's new headquarters, hand-made meets high technology. The all-alloy structure, the lightweight body, the hand-assembled V8 engine, the sophisticated electronic controls and audio systems: all are engineered to a level of technology rarely seen in the automotive industry. This mix of technology, tradition and low volume makes for an exclusive, advanced and uniquely desirable sports car.

People Power

True, there is a certain cachet to a car being both hand-built and modern – it is rare these days and getting rarer all the time. But there are a host of sensible engineering and design reasons why Aston Martins are still hand-assembled. Expert craftsmen can perform the complicated, labour-intensive work that robots on production lines cannot. They can craft designs and finishes that defeat machines. Take, for instance, the single aperture cuts for the headlamps in the front wings of the V8 Vantage. This design can be achieved only because the V8 Vantage is painstakingly built by hand.

Then there is the beautiful stitching of the leather seats. Automated machines can stitch leather, but they cannot do it with the same lively care, or quality, as craftsmen. The same is applicable to the finish of the bodies. Mass-produced cars frequently need plastic finishers to hide awkward production line joins, but cosmetic make-up is unnecessary at Aston Martin, where each car is expertly hand-finished and tended by craftsmen.

Engines, too, are individually hand-assembled, just as they always have been at Aston Martin, although now at a brand-new, dedicated, high-technology facility in Cologne, Germany. There is no rush with hand-assembly; the over-riding concern is always quality. That is why Aston Martins – all Aston Martins – are built by hand, and it is why all the world's finest luxury goods, from suits to watches, are still hand-made. When low volumes are desirable, and exclusivity is demanded, it is quite simply the best way.

Uniquely Aston Martin

At Aston Martin's headquarters in rural Warwickshire, England, heritage is fused with high technology. Highly trained engineers work alongside master craftsmen in a large, open, airy and hushed facility.

A special area is allocated to the hand-crafting of the cabins, and here you'll find the many different materials that feature inside the V8 Vantage. There are aluminium alloys used for switches, instruments and the facia; fabric and leather in myriad colours and finishes, including many different stitching treatments, as well as optional wood trims in a choice of walnut, mahogany, bamboo and piano black.

All of these come together to make an interior that is unique to Aston Martin. Many of the cabin details are aluminium – such as the instrument pack and the door handles – and the coolness of the metal is complemented perfectly by the warm, hand-finished, hand-stitched leather upholstery.

You just have to step inside the car to know that it is something special. Sit behind the three-spoke steering wheel and set the multi-position, electronically adjustable seats. Put your hands on the wheel and immediately you feel the quality of that chunky, hand-stitched leather rim. Turn the key and watch the clear glass starter button colour change from blue to red, as ignition is engaged. Depress the start button and hear the V8 engine burst into life. Move off and you'll be amazed by the precise gear shifts – and reassured by the excellent visibility from the generously glazed cabin. Of course, all the switches and controls are perfectly placed, for driving enjoyment is the priority in this cabin built around you, the driver.