Earlier this month, Bohnams held the 16th annual Aston Martin Works Sale, which featured more than 50 motor cars and 170 lots of automobilia related objects.
The auction took place at the Aston Martin Woks Service factory at Newport Pagnell and ended up raising a total of £10,280,275 ($16,164,704).
From all the lots, our attention was drawn by a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible, that was originally ordered by English actor, writer and dramatist, Peter Ustinov. This car was delivered to him brand new, at the Montreux Palace Hotel in Switzerland, in 1962. The actor intended to drive it exclusively in Europe, so the DB4 was ordered in left-hand-drive. According to Bohnams, the original build sheet states that the car was fitted with an overdrive system, an oil cooler, a very rare detachable hardtop and its original color was “Desert White”.
As you can see, the car did not retain its original color, the removable hardtop is nowhere to be found and the interior was re-trimmed; but that’s not enough to spoil its desirability. You see, the car didn’t get us startled because it was the property of Peter Ustinov – at some point – but because it’s one of only 70 Aston Martin DB4 Convertibles ever built. In fact, it’s one of only nine DB4 Series IV Convertibles. That means the car is one of the rarest post-war Astons.
The DB4 Coupe was unveiled in 1958 and its beautiful lines were designed by Carrozzeria Touring, in Milan. Complying with the coachbuilder’s methods, the DB4 had a tube-frame superleggera body, but although it was designed and constructed by Touring’s Italian techniques, it was built in Newport Pagnell, UK.
The convertible version was introduced in 1961, but this time, the styling had been designed “in house” and not by Touring. This particular DB4 is one of the few with the more powerful Vantage engine. The 3.7-litre inline-6 Tadek Marek power-plant boasted 266 BHP with the help of three SU carburetors and special cylinder heads.
Bohnams sold the car for £1,513,500 ($2,379,827).
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