The Business, London, Auto Review column.(Column)

Byline: Eric Dymock

Mar. 24--If Dave Richards, Aston Martin's new proprietor, wants to be radical, Prodrive, his specialist racing preparation firm, could have the ingredients for a 21st century masterpiece. An avid collector of Astons, he knows that some of the best have not been five-litre behemoths but one-litre exquisitely engineered lightweights. For instance, the Aston Martin Ulster did 100mph in 1935; while the DB2 of 1949, with a 2.6-litre engine designed by WO Bentley, raced at Le Mans, setting the pace for the great British sports car revival.

Rich