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Gordon Armstrong drew the Atom’s patented suspension system,independent at the front by short trailing arms and coil springs whilethe live rear axle was suspended upon long, supple leafsprings.Hydraulic lever-arm dampers featured all round. Direct, high-gearedsteering with only 2.25 turns lock-to-lock was tailored to the feelrequired from a high-performance car of true quality. The FrenchCotal electric-magnetic four-speed semi-automatic gearbox was‘the latest thing’, and in early testing Sutherland’s team timed theAtom at 98mph, running its original 1950cc long-stroke 4-cylinderengine on wartime ‘Pool’ petrol – stupendous performance for asmall – notionally ‘four-seat’ (though in truth rather confined – 92-inchwheelbase) saloon of that era.The Aston Martin Atom’s wartime press reception was ecstatic. ‘TheAutocar’ described it as: “The future in the present...a completebreakaway from existing Aston Martins and the general run of Britishcars...The saloon body breaks with British car convention...see it asthe comfortable, convenient sports car of the future...”‘Motor Sport’ magazine enthused: “This is a machine whichconvinces you it is all the way a winner...”, while ‘The Motor’ wasemphatic that “...in this car we can see the new order of motoring...”.This unique 90-100mph 2-plus-2 Coupe was used as much aspossible by Mr and Mrs Gordon Sutherland for both personal andprivate transport, their children often travelling in its cosy rear seats.Indeed it took part in the exclusive Chessington 1941 and Cockfoster1945 rallies organized by Rivers-Fletcher. However lack of publiclyavailable fuel during wartime saw the Atom stored at his factoryfor up to three months at a time, but Gordon Sutherland knew itstechnology-proving value for a postwar resumption of Aston Martinproduction. He is said to have driven it personally for more than100,000 test miles and immediately postwar the experience of drivingthe Atom persuaded industrialist David Brown to buy the companythat had created it.In 1944 the Atom was fitted with a Claude Hill-designed 1970ccpushrod engine breathing through twin SU carburettors, and GordonSutherland’s notes confirm an intention to add an extra 6-incheswheelbase, to render the occasional rear seats properly habitable.He also projected a reduction in fuel tank size (from the original 17gallons) to provide more luggage space, either a higher back-axleratio or overdrive, minor front suspension refinement, a redesignedrattle free window mechanism and a lower roof and scuttle line.Against a background of wartime shortage and privation, MrSutherland’s list envisaged the time when materials might againbecome available. While the Atom influenced David Brown’s decisionto acquire the company, many of its innovations and lessons-learnedwould be built postwar into the David Brown-owned Aston Martincompany’s illustrious DB-series of Grand Touring cars.Motor Cars | 261