Thursday 3rd March 2005

Get yourself into a unique Aston

Auction of nine special models is coming up

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A great opportunity to acquire one or more unique Astons is coming up, including a V8 Vantage Coupe (picture). According to Classic Driver, auction house Bonhams is to put up for sale nine commemorative, hand-built Aston V8s. All were owned by one person, and were privately commissioned in 1987 with the aim of celebrating the 21st anniversary of V8 production.

It's reckoned that this is a unique series of cars: the nine vehicles, all with minimal mileage, are consecutively registered and finished in identical Hunter Green coachwork with tan leather upholstery, burr walnut veneer and dark green carpeting. Note that the picture is generic and isn't the right colour!

The report said the collection has been "fastidiously maintained" by the current owner, the second. Each car carries a card in the glove box recording every occasion it has been used. Last year, all were featured at Aston's new Gaydon factory during a visit by Prince Charles.

The auction is on 4 June 2005.

More: www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3500.asp?id=12373

www.bonhams.com

[squirrelz]

Sorry to be the pedant, but theres no such thing as a DB7 V8 Vantage. The DB7 had an inline 6 or a V12.

[mindgam3]

Not strictly true

www.astonmartins.com/db7/db7_v8.htm

"In 1996, Autocar magazine drove a very different DB7 V8 altogether. Built to special order for a wealthy customer by Works Service, this one-off road car featured a 6.3 litre version of the 48 valve Marek V8. Although I've never been able to photograph the car, Autocar pictures showed a car with the 'driving dynamics' body kit and very discrete 'V8' badges. Also the bonnet has a noticeable power bulge to cover the 452bhp engine."

Whether this is the car for sale is a different matter

[dazren]

I remember the poster of the nine cars. The V8 Vantage mentioned in the editorial was a 1980's one, not the DB7 in the picture.

DAZ

[Andrew Noakes]

There was also a DB7 V8 race car.

However, these nine cars are 1980s V8s, not DB7s. It would have been difficult to build a V8 DB7 in 1987 - the DB7 didn't reach production in six-cylinder form until 1994.

[tiga84]

I've got the poster, all G reg and consecutive plates from G901-908

This is from memory (at work), but I think the models were:-
AM V8
AM V8 Volante
AM Vantage
AM Vantage Volante
AM Vantage P.O.W
AM Vantage Volante P.O.W
AM Lagonda
AM Virage

[paddym]

all is explained and yes its V8's -- each version; coupe, convertibles, vantages thereof etc ... really quite cool in a retentive sort of way.

[williamp]

I still have the poster as well.

G901-910 (01 was a V8 saloon, 10 a Virage).

I remember seeing them together at the Coys festival once about 10 years ago, when they were being auctioned.

Nice to see them back together again, but for how long?

[rico]

squirrelz said:

Sorry to be the pedant, but theres no such thing as a DB7 V8 Vantage. The DB7 had an inline 6 or a V12.

article said:

A great opportunity to acquire one or more unique Astons is coming up, including a V8 Vantage Coupe

[havoc]

So they're not DB7's at all, they're the classic 80's Aston.

Fantastic...not as good looking as the DB7, but SOOO much more presence.

[havoc]

So they're not DB7's at all, they're the classic 80's Aston.

Fantastic...not as good looking as the DB7, but SOOO much more presence.