Were it not for the intervention of industrialist David Brown, it is likely that both Aston Martin and Lagonda would have fallen victim to the economic aftershocks that reverberated around Europe in the wake of World War II.

The tractor magnate purchased both companies in 1947, and while the first post-war Aston—the Two Litre Sports—attracted just 14 buyers, the pairing of two of the jewels in Britain’s automotive crown would lead to one of the most enduring nameplates in sports car history: DB.

Introduced in prototype form in 1949, the DB2—so named for company chairman David Brown—struck an appealing balance between gorgeous aluminum coachwork, sporting driving dynamics, and a characterful twin-overhead-cam inline-six.

Things only improved three years later, when the foundations that had made the DB2 such a successful sports car were built upon to create the Aston Martin DB2/4—a ground-breaking Frank Feeley design that introduced a subtly raised roofline, additional seating for two...