Original Aston 'Project Vantage' concept for sale
The one-off show car that previewed the V12 Vanquish is now 25 years old - and available to buy
Now feels like a good time for Aston Martin. The DBX707 is one of the best SUVs around, the DB12 is a brilliant rework of the old ’11, and the manual-only Valour sold out in a matter of hours. Alonso still just about has third in the F1, too. The history of Aston Martin is one of peaks and troughs, which is partly why it’s so admired; let’s hope this current period is more of a high plateau. Because who doesn’t want to see them do well?
Back in the late 1990s, Aston certainly needed a boost. The DB7 was good given its underpinnings, but desperately needed a more emotive engine than the supercharged six (which it would get with the Vantage of 1999). And while the Vantage continued to get more powerful and caddishly charming (not to mention expensive), there was no hiding its age, either. As the 21st century loomed large, so Aston Martin really needed a flagship befitting of the new age.
Ultimately, the V12 Vanquish would be it - and what a car it was, ushering in a whole new swathe of technology for a range-topping Aston while also looking a million dollars. That look was first previewed as far back as 1998, with a concept that Aston Martin said it wouldn’t build: the Project Vantage. This car was shown at Detroit that January and, such was press and public response to the Ian Callum design, the original decision was soon reneged on. A production version arrived as the Vanquish three years later looking barely any different and, well, the rest is history.
Or not quite. See it’s easy to be a bit blasé about early 21st century Aston now things are looking better, but the success of the VH era really was critical. And the Vanquish set out the stall for that family of cars perfectly: these would be contemporary, progressive, advanced Aston Martins, ones that celebrated that heritage of the brand but weren’t wedded to it. And it was exactly the right path to go down.
Anyway, the car in question. This really is that 1998 concept, as only one was ever made. Drink it in, people, because if the next 25 years are anything like its first quarter of a century, this might not be seen much again. According to the vendor, Project Vantage was shown in public at a 1998 Aston Martin Owners Club race meet and on UK Vanquish Day 16 years later; it was also on display at Newport Pagnell for a bit. But otherwise it seems like this amazing bit of history was tucked away, sold by Aston in 2016 ‘by which time it had suffered from being dismantled for production assessment and 18 years in storage.’ Sad.
But it was comprehensively restored in 2017 and since then has been seen in magazine features and a host of concours events. There’s not going to be a garden party where this isn’t welcome, right? Project Vantage is a one-off, and it previews the car that would come to define one of Aston’s most famous eras. This isn’t just any old concept car.
Or merely some styling buck, either. Described as a ‘fully functional proof of concept vehicle’, Project Vantage can be driven, though it’s not registered for road use and is sold only as a display item. Still, when it can seem like even the rarest cars out there have their equivalent just a few rows down at the secret exotica meet, the appeal of a genuine one-off is plain enough. Especially when it looks this good.
There isn’t a price listed for Project Vantage, though given the provenance - and what looks like a far-reaching restoration - it’s surely going to be hefty. But then as the advert states, this really could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to buy a unique Aston Martin. Wouldn’t want to miss that…
Could it potentially be made road legal? I wonder what has prevented it from being so up until this point?
How much of the car is likely to be fully functional? Are there going to be random bits, aircon, wipers for exanple, that just don't function as intended and therefore provide the answer the first question?
Could it potentially be made road legal? I wonder what has prevented it from being so up until this point?
How much of the car is likely to be fully functional? Are there going to be random bits, aircon, wipers for exanple, that just don't function as intended and therefore provide the answer the first question?
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/23592/lot/228/1998...
An interesting car for a collector, and would give access to the best shows.
I can't imagine it would make financial sense to convert to road usable spec, given that an actual vanquish is not a fortune by modern standards. In getting type approval, were it possible, it might lose some of its unique prototype aspects.
I seem to remember 30 odd years ago being offered a chopped off Lagonda which was a development mule for the Virage and supposedly very collectable - I wonder whatever happened to that....
Not sure it'd be worth the expense or work of putting it on the road and the Vanquish has hardly achieved legendary status so I can't see us ever looking back at the concept with any particular reverence.
(don't get time wrong I still love the Vanquish as a car. I'd just have a normal one long before any desire for this)
Could it potentially be made road legal? I wonder what has prevented it from being so up until this point?
How much of the car is likely to be fully functional? Are there going to be random bits, aircon, wipers for exanple, that just don't function as intended and therefore provide the answer the first question?
Really depends on how well put together its underpinnings are.
I seem to remember 30 odd years ago being offered a chopped off Lagonda which was a development mule for the Virage and supposedly very collectable - I wonder whatever happened to that....
I seem to remember 30 odd years ago being offered a chopped off Lagonda which was a development mule for the Virage and supposedly very collectable - I wonder whatever happened to that....
Could it potentially be made road legal? I wonder what has prevented it from being so up until this point?
How much of the car is likely to be fully functional? Are there going to be random bits, aircon, wipers for exanple, that just don't function as intended and therefore provide the answer the first question?
Really depends on how well put together its underpinnings are.
From the feature I read it was in basic terms cobbled together.
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