There was no one from UK headquarters on the Aston Martin stand at the LA show, they were all dealing with the issue of who will buy the famous old sports car company.

So the stand was operated by a local dealer but staff there had some good news for their British colleagues.

They have already taken some 150 orders for the new Vanquish even though potential customers have yet to see the car.

But then, California is the biggest single sports car market in the world.