An Evening with Ian Minards
20 June 2026 | British Motor Museum
We were delighted to welcome Ian Minards as our guest speaker at the British Motor Museum on Saturday 20 June 2026.
Ian, former Product Development Director of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, played a key role in delivering the iconic Vanquish project 25 years ago. His talk was informative, engaging, and full of humour, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance.
Expert Panel DiscussionFollowing his talk, Ian was joined for a panel discussion by an esteemed group of guests, including:
- Bob Dover – Former Chairman and CEO of Aston Martin
- Les Goble – Performance racing driver
- Steve Waddingham – AML historian
The discussion was expertly hosted by AMHT Trustee Garry Taylor, bringing together a wealth of knowledge and insight from across the Aston Martin community.
A Special Gathering
The evening brought together a wonderful mix of guests, including many current and former Aston Martin employees, creating a truly special atmosphere. The excellent food, wine, and company all contributed to a memorable occasion.
On display for the evening was the Vanquish generation one cutaway, providing a fascinating, up-close look at how vehicle design and construction were evolving at the time.
Discover More
To find out more about the Vanquish Cutaway, click here. Videos | AMHT
The Vanquish 25 exhibition will be open at the museum throughout July.
Book your tickets here to see these remarkable cars up close and explore the Vanquish story in more detail.
An Oxfordshire museum full of history for Aston Martin fans.
More on Ian Minards
Ian Minards – former Product Development Director of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd
Ian joined Aston Martin Lagonda from Jaguar cars in August 1997, having been part of the engineering team behind the then recently launched Jaguar XK8. Having joined AML as General Manager for Works Service, the business now known as Aston Martin Works, Ian was instrumental in modernising the culture and processes to better serve the increasing number of new Aston Martin owners, a result of the success of models such as the DB7.
In March 1999, having successfully helped transform Works Service, Ian was given the challenging position of Chief Programme Engineer for the car that would become the V12 Vanquish. He took this vital new flagship model from the Project Vantage concept car, first shown at the Detroit Auto Show in 1998, right the way through to the launch of the production V12 Vanquish in early 2001. Ian steered the project every step of the way, with a relatively small team of engineers at both Aston Martin and Lotus, in Norfolk. This wasn’t just a new Aston Martin model, the Vanquish used new and advanced materials and a whole new method of construction. The team masterminded the concept of bonding aluminium panels onto a chassis and inner body components made from a mix of high-tech materials, including Carbon Fibre, composites and aluminium.
Overseeing the highly successful launch of Vanquish at the Geneva motor show in March 2001 Ian then became General Sales Manager for AML, as the company worked to manage the now full order books. He helped to expand and strengthen the vital network of dealerships around the world, carefully overseeing sales of the existing DB7 range and the Vanquish.
In 2004 Ian made a move back into Engineering at AML, with the task of once again overseeing the launch of a vitally important new car, the DB9, in what was then the new, purpose-built, factory at Gaydon. A promotion to Product Development Director followed in 2006 and Ian remained in that roll, with his rare balance of commercial and engineering acumen, overseeing the successful expansion of the Aston Martin range until he left the business in August 2016.
