Aston Martin

"Jenkins suggested that Gibbs turn his attention to the two places in the world with excellent low-volume, specialist cultures for car making: northern Italy and the British Midlands. Since Gibbs spoke no Italian, it made sense to look first at the Midlands. In the UK half a dozen companies, including Morgan, Aston Martin, TVR and Lotus, manufactured cars in low volumes. They were supported by engineers with the sorts of skills and mind-set that Gibbs needed. The decision was made; Jenkins merged his business with Gibbs’, and Gibbs and Jenkins became partners. The project moved across the Atlantic. In Neil Jenkins, Gibbs had found a Trevor Farmer-like figure to help him with the car project. Since the engineering challenges fascinated him, Gibbs would have a more hands-on role than he had had with his former businesses, such as Freightways and Ceramco, but he’d long since learnt that he needed a trusted and capable partner on the spot."

"Perhaps not surprisingly much was made of my lifestyle: my former ‘penthouse’ Park Lane office, homes in Notting Hill and Buckinghamshire, and Challenger private jet in Farnborough; a 42-metre yacht called *Element*; my collection of luxury motorbikes; and an Aston Martin bearing my initials on the number plate. At the time of the article’s publication I neither used nor operated the private jet or yacht, as they were sold after the crash. I still have the old Aston Martin and six motorbikes. Since the 2008 crisis, I have become accustomed to heavy public scrutiny of my private life."