William Towns

William Towns (1936–1993) also known as Bill Towns was a British car designer, likely most famous for his very striking 1976 design for the Mk.II Aston Martin Lagonda.

Towns began his training as a designer at Rootes in 1954, where he was mainly involved in the styling of seats and door handles.

Later he was also involved with the styling of their Hillman Hunter.

He moved to Rover in 1963 and worked there for David Bache and designed the body of the Rover-BRM gas turbine Le Mans car.

In 1966, he left Rover to join Aston Martin as a seat designer.

Towns had already designed Aston Martin's 1967 DBS (the successor to their DB6), which evolved into the Aston Martin V8 with very subtle restyling, and which remained the brand's main car until 1989.

In 1967 he was asked to design the body for the new DBS.

In 1976 he designed the Aston Martin Lagonda luxury sedan.

He left Aston Martin in 1977 for more remunerative industrial design work, setting up his own design studio, Interstyl.

As a freelance designer, he worked on the Jensen-Healey, the successful Hustler kit-car, the Reliant SS2 and the short-lived Railton F28/F29.

Later, Towns also drew the again very futuristic 1980 Aston Martin Bulldog concept car.

Towns died at the age of 56 or 57 from cancer in June 1993 at his home in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

Until July 2005, his own cars were on display at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, UK.