TIMELINE-Twists and turns in Aston Martin's long history

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll will take a stake of up to 20% in luxury carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings, as the ailing British firm raises funds after a sales decline put pressure on its finances.

Here is a brief look at the history of the carmaker going back over 100 years which has seen fictional agent James Bond's favourite carmaker go bankrupt seven times.

1904

Lagonda was founded by Anglo-American engineer Wilbur Gunn in a greenhouse in his home in southern England.

1913

Aston Martin was founded by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford in a small London workshop.

1947

English industrialist David Brown takes the helm of Aston Martin after its struggles in the previous decades and the company buys Lagonda. Aston Martin also launches the DB2 model.

1964

The Aston Martin brand was boosted by its star turn in the James Bond film "Goldfinger", with Sean Connery swapping his Bentley for a gadget-laden DB5.

1993

Ford Motor fully acquires Aston Martin after having built a stake.

2007

Ford sells https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ford-astonmartin-statement/ford-to-sell-aston-martin-in-925-mln-deal-idUSWNAS371820070312 Aston Martin to a group including former motor racing boss David Richards and Kuwait's Investment Dar and Adeem Investment.

2012

Italian private equity fund Investindustrial buys https://www.reuters.com/article/us-astonmartin-stake/investindustrial-confirms-aston-martin-stake-buy-idUSBRE8B60C620121207 37.5% of Aston Martin from Investment Dar.

2013

Daimler takes up to 5% stake https://www.reuters.com/article/us-daimler-astonmartin/daimler-gets-aston-martin-stake-in-engine-supply-deal-idUSBRE9BI0OJ20131219 in Aston Martin in exchange for supplying engines and electronic components.

2014

Andy Palmer joins https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-aston-nissan-appointment/aston-martin-ceo-hire-adds-to-renault-nissan-exodus-idUKKBN0GX0L320140902 as CEO from Nissan Motor. The British firm had spent most of the year without a top boss.

2017

June

Aston Martin scales back https://www.reuters.com/article/us-astonmartin-electric-exclusive-idUSKBN19H29W production plans for its first electric model after cash-strapped Chinese investment partner LeEco pulls out of the project.

December

Makes first annual pretax profit https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-astonmartin-results/aston-martin-on-track-for-first-pre-tax-profit-since-2010-idUKKBN1DM23U since 2010.

2018

July

Aston Martin unveils https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-airshow-astonmartin/aston-martin-unveils-sports-car-for-the-skies-at-airshow-idUSKBN1K81MK concept for a futuristic hybrid-electric personal aircraft.

October

Aston Martin makes its stock market debut https://reut.rs/2N8gjKq in London, with shares priced at 19 pounds.

2019

May

Posts better-than-expected first-quarter revenue as it sold more vehicles in the Americas and China.

July

Aston Martin slumps to a half-year loss.

November

Aston Launches its DBX SUV model, hoping that more female buyers will help boost sales.

December

Aston Martin opens https://www.reuters.com/article/astonmartin-factory/aston-martin-opens-new-factory-to-build-key-first-suv-idUSL8N28F3ZL a new factory in Wales, the carmaker's second plant in history.

Aston Martin said it is in early stage talks with potential investors about building "longer term relationships".

2020

January

Aston Martin warned its 2019 profits would almost halve due to weak European markets.

Source: Reuters stories, Company website

(Compiled by Pushkala Aripaka and Indranil Sarkar in Bengaluru Editing by Keith Weir)