The Aston Martin Atom is a prototype automobile built by Aston Martin. Construction began in 1939 and was completed in 1940, and the Atom is one of the first fully functional concept cars ever built; its chassis design became the basis of Aston Martin’s post-war models, beginning with the 1948 DB1.
Aston Martin Atom at a glance
| Built | begun in 1939, completed in 1940 |
|---|---|
| Commissioned by | R. Gordon Sutherland, Aston Martin managing director; chief engineer Claude Hill led the design |
| Chassis | G40/900, rectangular steel tube frame with a tube superstructure for the body |
| Body | unstressed aluminium four-door streamlined saloon |
| Engine | originally the type used in the 15/98; after the war a new four-cylinder, EN4/48/2, later used in the 2-Litre Sports |
| Patents | 27 applied for |
| Registration | LMF 386; Road Tax disc issued on 14 July 1940 |
| Mileage | about 250,000 miles by the time of the 2014 auction |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only (a trusted source), so the facts were not cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Aston Martin Atom
Construction of the Atom was commissioned by R. Gordon Sutherland, son of the company owner Arthur Sutherland, with Claude Hill leading the design. The goal was a small enclosed saloon that was comfortable and had good road manners, so emphasis went on light weight and a rigid chassis; the name was chosen to suggest something small but powerful.
The Atom broke with traditional body-on-frame construction. Its chassis used square and rectangular steel tubing both for the main frame and for the framework that supports the body, a continuation of Hill’s earlier experiments with a prototype informally known at the works as Donald Duck. Aston Martin and Hill applied for twenty-seven patents on technologies developed for the Atom.
The Atom appeared at the Chessington Rally in 1941. It is reported that David Brown decided to buy Aston Martin after driving the Atom in 1947. Sutherland kept the car as a personal vehicle, putting about 100,000 miles on it before selling it in 1949; it passed through several owners, was repatriated to Britain in 1986 and fully restored. In June 2014 Bonhams offered it at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and bidding did not reach the reserve.
Legacy
The Atom’s chassis was adapted for the 2-Litre Sports (DB1) with extra bracing and the same basic chassis was later used for the DB2, the DB2/4 and the DB2/4 Mark III, staying in production until 1959; this lineage ended with the DB4. The General Motors Buick Y-Job is often described as the first concept car; the Atom, which debuted just months after, is considered to have been Europe’s first.
Design and features
- Space frame: a box frame of 2½ by 1¼ inch rectangular mild steel tube with a tubular upper structure; it has been called a skeleton frame, tubular monocoque or space frame.
- Body: unstressed aluminium, shaped and built with the influence of aircraft methods; twenty-four vertical slits in the nose admit cooling air instead of a grille.
- Suspension: the first Aston Martin with independent front suspension, a design based on a patent of F. G. Gordon Armstrong, with twin trailing arms and coil springs.
- Rear axle: the first British car with a Salisbury rear axle with hypoid bevel gears.
- Interior: hammock-style front seats and a delta-wing-shaped bonnet release.
Aston Martin Atom versions
- Atom (1939–1940): the single prototype, chassis G40/900.
More Aston Martin cars are in our Aston Martin collection, for example the DB1 (2-Litre Sports) that grew out of the Atom, the DB2 and the DB4 that ended its chassis lineage.
Aston Martin Atom questions and answers
What is the Aston Martin Atom?
A 1939–1940 prototype saloon, one of the first fully working concept cars.
Who designed it?
Claude Hill, Aston Martin’s chief engineer.
Why is it important?
Its chassis design became the basis of Aston Martin models from the DB1 of 1948 to the DB2/4 Mark III of 1959.
Is it a four-door car?
Yes, a streamlined four-door saloon with both front and rear doors hinged on the B-pillar.
Was it ever sold at auction?
Bonhams offered it in June 2014 at Goodwood; bidding did not reach the reserve.
Video: #122.Aston Martin Atom 1939 (АВТОКОНЦЕПТ)
Video by CONCEPT CAR on YouTube.
Sources
- Aston Martin Atom, English Wikipedia: history, construction and legacy
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