Lot 123: 1973 Aston Martin Vantage Saloon

Footnote: After Sir David Brown's departure, DBS production continued under new owners Company Developments, the car being re-styled with a two-headlamp front end but mechanically remaining much as before. The 4-litre, six-cylinder model was re-named ‘Vantage’, a departure from accepted practice, as the term had hitherto been used to denote the high-performance engine option. To further confuse matters, all but two Vantages (‘6067’ and ‘6068’) had the 'SVC' Vantage high-performance engine. A mere 70 of these six-cylinder Vantages were produced between May 1972 and July 1973. This right-hand drive example has the automatic transmission option. First owned by Richard Ellis of Cornhill, London EC3 and registered ‘TGO 309M’, the car comes with a substantial history file containing copies of all previous-owner registration documents, 12 expired MoT certificates and numerous service invoices. While in the ownership (from 1980 to 1986) of one Richard Bass of London EC1 it was registered ‘RBA 55’, then subsequently ‘DBY 217M’, ‘BOO 4’ and (presently) ‘DBY 453M’. Accompanying documentation records a speedometer change circa 1989/90 at 104,410 miles. The odometer currently reads 39,154 miles. Service bills on file indicate regular maintenance carried out by recognised specialists such as R S Williams, Ian Mason, Promech Automotive, Goodwood Green and Aston Service Dorset. Re-trimmed in 1989, carpets included, at a cost of £4,300 (invoice available), the car came into the vendor’s possession in February 2004 and has been kept in professional storage in recent years. ‘DBY 453M’ possesses the desirable attributes of chromed wire wheels and a Webasto sunroof, and is finished in Dubonnet with tan leather interior, the latter featuring period 8-track radio/cassette stereo system. Presented in apparently very good order, the car is offered with current Swansea V5 registration document.