In what sounds like the plot of a motoring mystery novel, the Aston Martin Heritage Trust (AMHT) has launched a worldwide search for a missing piece of automotive history: Aston Martin’s first-ever car, affectionately known as the Coal Scuttle. It was the brainchild of Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, the dynamic duo behind what would become the iconic Aston Martin brand. Built in the summer of 1914, this humble vehicle served as the cornerstone for a company that would go on to create some of the world’s most coveted luxury sports cars.
The car’s basic, functional design apparently reminded folks of the coal buckets found in just about every home in Britain a century ago. Not exactly a sleek moniker, but hey, even James Bond had to start somewhere. Coal Scuttle in Henniker Mews, London, the place where it was built in 1914 AMHT Despite its less-than-glamorous nickname, the Coal Scuttle was no slouch.
Registered officially as an Aston-Martin on 16 March, 1915, the car earned its stripes (and a Gold Medal) in the London to Edinburgh Trial, a gruelling test of endurance and engineering that was the ultimate proving ground of the day. It even had a bit of a makeover now and then, sporting different front wings, lamps, and horns as it raced its way through the early 1920s, stopping for photo ops and even enjoying a scenic fishing trip to Loch Awe. But by 1924, the Coal Scuttle had gone from the racetrack to the sale block, fetching £50 – a tidy sum back then, but a stea.