Jimmy Carr electrifies Aston Martin DB6

[lornemalvo]

Jimmy Carr has, apparently, had his Aston Martin DB6 converted to run on lithium batteries. Words fail me. I can understand it with a bog standard old car but an Aston Martin? I feel he's completely missed the point of them and has committed a form of vandalism.

[blank]

There were quite a few EV classics at Blenheim Palace today.

For old stuff where the engine was a bit gash it is a great idea. My old Ford Pop would have been great as an EV.

Something like a Ferrari where the engine is a major part of the appeal seems like sacrilege.

The DB6 is somewhere in between for me. They're really mostly about the looks, and the engine is not that great.

Edit:
Seems it was actually Jimmy's Car I saw today. Looked like a good quality job to be fair.

Edited by blank on Sunday 31st August 20:27

[Evanivitch]

lornemalvo said:

Jimmy Carr has, apparently, had his Aston Martin DB6 converted to run on lithium batteries. Words fail me. I can understand it with a bog standard old car but an Aston Martin? I feel he's completely missed the point of them and has committed a form of vandalism.

What is the "point of them"?

Perhaps he wants something that's effortless to drive and wonderful to look at. A classical looking car that he can drive into town any day of the week without knowing much about the mechanicals.

[Furbo]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alistaircharlton/2025...

[andy43]

It’s probably a tax advantage

[hidetheelephants]

60s Astons are such insane prices now that they're strictly for the fabulously rich collector and most will wile away their remaining lives gathering dust in warehouses between being carried to and from auctions in covered transporters, I'm not sure I care much whether it's converted or not if it actually gets used.

blank said:

The DB6 is somewhere in between for me. They're really mostly about the looks, and the engine is not that great.

Tadek Marek is waiting in the afterlife to give you a slap.

Edited by hidetheelephants on Sunday 31st August 20:31

[Sporky]

It's just a car.

[Gary C]

Sporky said:

It's just a car.

and the mona lisa is just a bit of canvas, oil and pigment.

If your going to have a classic, its historic and really, why change it. If you want an EV, there are plenty to buy.

Of course its his choice and maybe one day, it will be necessary just to allow them to be driven

but for now, why...

[J4CKO]

Gary C said:

Sporky said:

It's just a car.

and the mona lisa is just a bit of canvas, oil and pigment.

If your going to have a classic, its historic and really, why change it. If you want an EV, there are plenty to buy.

Of course its his choice and maybe one day, it will be necessary just to allow them to be driven

but for now, why...

Because he owns it, can afford to and wants to ?

Classic cars are largely hard work, guess he wants to use it a bit more ?

Am sure there will be work down to make the conversions reversible and realistically, doesn’t matter, most are kept in temperature controlled garages and never used.

[Sporky]

Gary C said:

and the mona lisa is just a bit of canvas, oil and pigment.

How many genuine DB6s are there?

How many genuine Mona Lisas?

Which was created by a historically significant individual master artist, and which was mass produced on an assembly line?

Is it a reasonable comparison?

[Gary C]

Sporky said:

Gary C said:

and the mona lisa is just a bit of canvas, oil and pigment.

How many genuine DB6s are there?

How many genuine Mona Lisas?

Which was created by a historically significant individual master artist, and which was mass produced on an assembly line?

Is it a reasonable comparison?

It was a bit of hyperbole just to make the point, but I take yours. What if it was a 250GTO ? or one of Van Goughs sunflowers (as there were quite a few)

Its a historic artifact.

Point is for me, why own one if you don't want the maintain it as a historic vehicle ? A vanity ?

[Gary C]

J4CKO said:

Because he owns it, can afford to and wants to ?

Classic cars are largely hard work, guess he wants to use it a bit more ?

Am sure there will be work down to make the conversions reversible and realistically, doesn’t matter, most are kept in temperature controlled garages and never used.

I would not do it to my car, but the I take your point on reversable as I have removed my Blaupunkt Bremen and replaced it with a replica unit with DAB.

and mine gets driven

Hard...

[InitialDave]

If it's reversible, I don't take much issue with it, though I agree it seems like an odd one to convert.

A classic Rolls I feel is a good candidate for a modern EV conversion making it better at what it's meant to be, but a Bentley or an Aston, less so.

I think the best thing to convert may be a huge American barge that was intended to provide big, effortless comfort, and came fitted with a somewhat crude power train.

[otolith]

His car, one of a couple of thousand made. His business really. I expect it’s reversible.

[autofocus]

Hi there,

Had a good nosey around the car at Salon Prive on Friday.

Electrogenic have made a decent job of it and I am guessing if you have the money to do it (which Jimmy Carr certainly has) then each to there own I guess.



Regards

Tim

[epom]

Good for him, doing what he wants with his car and with his money.

[Nickp82]

Hu hu huuuuuhh

[J4CKO]

Does anyone dare heckle him about it though ?

[uktrailmonster]

I’m a big fan of EVs, but would never convert a classic car like this. Seems like an odd thing to do, but I guess he just wanted the look without the old drivetrain. For me that is half the charm of classic cars.

[Heaveho]

I hate things like this. Some berk did it to a Gordon Keeble, a painfully rare car, and an exquisite masterpiece of design. Removed a V8 to turn it into an appliance. I don't lust after a DB6 in the same way, but appreciate the significance of it and it's place in history. Saying it's " just a car " makes me wonder why the hell forums like this are frequented by those of that opinion. You must have no soul to be able to think like that.