Could Aston Martin be gearing up to launch a wave of new vehicle lines? HARJA has uncovered that the iconic British sports car maker has filed a slew of trademarks—each one sounding like it could eventually become a bona fide model. At the very least, it appears the company is making a deliberate effort to prevent other automakers from using names that could be mistaken for Aston Martin creations.
DB All the Things!
The new trademarks pair the classic DB designation with a series of numbers. In this case, it’s all DB—so we’re assuming none of these will be used for SUVs or crossovers. Each trademark is followed by a two-digit number. Sorry, folks, but there’s no DB110 coming… at least, not yet.
Aston Martin has used the DB prefix on most of its sports cars since the DB2 debuted in 1950. By then, the company had already been building cars for three decades, but the DB2 was the second model produced under David Brown’s ownership. Brown, who made his fortune in the family gear manufacturing business, ran the company from 1947 to 1972—and during that time, he put six different iterations of the DB name on Aston Martin models.
By 1993, Ford owned Aston Martin and sought to revive some of the brand’s historic heritage. It continued the DB series with the DB7, followed by the DB9. Under new ownership, the DBS returned in 2007, followed by the DB11 in 2016. Today, the lineup includes the DBX and DB12—though, as always, some numbers along the way were skipped.
So, what exactly is Aston Martin planning? Even with skipped numbers, would anyone really buy a car called the DB18? Considering the long gaps between models like the DB7 and DB11, a DB18 might not arrive until the end of the century. Yet Aston Martin has already filed trademarks for it—and not just that. The filings cover DB16 through DB32, then jump to DB40, DB50, DB60, DB70, DB80, and DB90.
We’re fairly certain the DB50 could be a slightly more rugged SUV, while the DB70 and DB90 might be two SUVs with the same body—one with two rows, the other with three. Okay, that’s pure speculation on our part, but hey, it worked for Mazda.
Are These Commemorative or Anniversary Cars?
Some of the new names might tie into anniversaries. The DB80, for instance, would be ideal for 2028, marking 80 years since the car now retroactively known as the DB1. Alternatively, it could celebrate the 80th anniversary of the DB2 in 2030.
DB16 might hint at the number of wins for team driver (and son of the company boss) Lance Stroll—though he actually has just 13 behind the wheel of a racing Aston. DB60 could nod to Fernando Alonso, the oldest driver on the grid since 1973. And DB25? Maybe that’s the age he claims to feel. Alright, we’re really stretching here… really stretching.
The point is, it’s not unusual for automakers to trademark a variety of names—either to protect past claims or to keep options open for future models. Securing potential product names is standard practice in the automotive world, but the sheer number Aston Martin has filed almost feels excessive. After all, if a trademark isn’t actively used, someone else can still apply for it—and Aston already holds a substantial portfolio of trademarks.
We’ll be waiting to see how things unfold. In the meantime, we’ll be back at the office… patiently awaiting the DB40 with a glass of red, red wine in hand.
