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4 mai 2015

Bonhams Aston Martin sale offers Peter Ustinov's rare 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV

Sir Peter Ustinov in the 1962 DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible (lot 247)

Sir Peter Ustinov in the 1962 DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible (lot 247). Photo Bonhams.

LONDON.- Bonhams Aston Martin Sale features more than 50 motor cars and 170 lots of automobilia. It is the largest sale in Bonhams 16-year history at Aston Martin Works. 

This year’s sale features a selection of significantly rare left-hand drive Aston Martins from the David Brown era. At the time, only a small number of left-hand drive models were produced by the luxury marque, making the models incredibly rare. This year’s sale – in which more than a quarter of cars are left-hand drive – is very unusual indeed,” said Tim Schofield, Bonhams UK Head of Motor Cars. 

But it’s not all about left-hand drive models. This year’s sale has over 30% more lots than 2014, meaning there’s something for everyone. This includes restoration projects, such as the 1958 Aston Martin DB Mark III Sports Saloon (Lot 201: £30,000-50,000); concours standard motor cars, such the 1952 Aston Martin DB2 Drophead Coupé, originally the property of His Royal Highness, Prince Bertil of Sweden (Lot 209: £250,000-300,000), and the 1961 Aston Martin DB4 'Series II' Sports Saloon (Lot 233: £420,000-460,000), plus many examples of automobilia.” 

Formerly owned by Sir Peter Ustinov, lot 247, an 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible adds some Hollywood sparkle to the sale. 

Originally owned by the legendary Academy Award-winning actor, playwright and diplomat Sir Peter Ustinov, this ultra-rare DB4 Vantage Convertible was delivered to him at the Montreux Palace Hotel in Switzerland in 1962. The car was intended for use on the continent, so it was ordered to be left-hand drive and specified with the more powerful, recently introduced 'Special Series' (Vantage) engine. One of only nine DB4 Series IV convertibles ever made, the DB4 is estimated at £900,000-1,000,000. 

1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible

Left-hand drive. 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV Vantage Convertible. Chassis no. DB4C/1068/L - Engine no. 370/1018/SS. Estimate £900,000 - 1 million (€1.2 million - 1.4 million). Photo Bonhams.

*One of only nine DB4 Series IV convertibles made
*Originally owned by Sir Peter Ustinov
*Rare Vantage specification
*One of the rarest of post-war Aston Martins 

Notes: 'The Aston Martin DB4 was perhaps the finest compromise which the David Brown-owned company ever achieved between exceptionally high-quality, exceptionally high-performance, exceptionally lavish finishing and yet properly contained overall size and weight – a great British product, benefiting from the styling input of Touring of Milan...' –Motors, 1965.

Classically proportioned and instantly recognisable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled Aston Martin DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. Moreover, it was the first Aston Martin to carry Carrozzeria Touring's 'Superleggera' bodywork, in which light alloy panels were fixed to a framework of light-gauge steel tubes welded to a platform chassis. Although styled by Touring, the DB4's gorgeous fastback coachwork was built under license at Newport Pagnell by Aston Martin, which employed some of the finest panel beaters in the industry. The result was a car whose sleek lines were described as 'unmistakably Italian and yet... equally unmistakably Aston Martin'.

Manufactured between October 1958 and June 1963, the DB4 developed through no fewer than five series. The first cars had already undergone a number of improvements, including the fitting of heavy-duty bumpers after the first 50 had been made, before the 2nd series arrived in January 1960. A front-hinged bonnet, bigger brake callipers and an enlarged sump were the major changes made on the Series II, while the 3rd series featured separate rear lights, two bonnet stays and a host of improvements to the interior fittings. The 4th series was readily distinguishable by its new grille, with seven vertical bars, shallower bonnet intake and recessed rear lights, while the final (5th) series manufactured between September 1962 and June 1963 was built on a 3½" longer wheelbase (allowing for increased leg room and a larger boot) and gained 15" wheels, an electric radiator fan and the DB4GT-type instrument panel. With the introduction of the Series IV, a 'Special Series' or 'Vantage' engine producing 266bhp was offered as an option. Including Vantage and convertible models, approximately 1,100 DB4s were produced between 1958 and 1963. 

Originally owned by the legendary Academy Award-winning actor, playwright and diplomat Sir Peter Ustinov, this ultra-rare DB4 Vantage Convertible was delivered to him at the Montreux Palace Hotel in Switzerland on 27th July 1962. The car carried the UK registration '911 CGT' and, being intended for use on the Continent, had been ordered with left-hand drive. Mr Ustinov also specified the recently introduced 'Special Series' (Vantage) engine. The accompanying copy build sheet records the original finish as Desert White with red Connolly hide trim, and the DB4 also came equipped with such desirable items as overdrive, an oil cooler, chrome wire wheels and a detachable hardtop. Servicing is recorded on four occasions between 1962 and 1968, while a note dated September 1979 records a colour change to the present Royal Claret. 

The next owner recorded is Major E L Peel of Broadway Art Gallery, Worcestershire followed by David Fyfe Jamieson of London SW6, though neither change is dated. In 1984, '1068/L' was purchased by the immediately preceding owner from famous racing driver David Piper, who had it serviced, a new hood fitted and the interior re-trimmed. Following acquisition the Aston was driven from the UK to Switzerland to join the owner's private collection, since when it has seen very little use. Careful re-commissioning will be required prior to road use. 

Combining Aston Martin's traditional virtues of style and performance with the joys of open-air motoring, the DB4 Convertible is most sought after and highly prized today. With the exception of the Zagato, the DB4 Convertible is the rarest Aston Martin road car of the David Brown era with a total of only 70 built, six less than the legendary DB4 GT. Furthermore, '1068/L' represents possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a left-hand drive example of this exceedingly rare model in Vantage specification.

Further LHD sale highlights include the 1961 Aston Martin DB4 ‘Series II’ Sports Saloon (Lot 219: £650,000-750,000), a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon (Lot 222: £650,000-700,000), and a 1966 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible ‘Vantage’ Specification (Lot 254: £1,100,000-1,200,000).

1961 Aston Martin DB4 'Series II' Sports Saloon

1961 Aston Martin DB4 'Series II' Sports Saloon. Chassis no. DB4/568/L - Engine no. 370/590Estimate £650,000 - 750,000 (€890,000 - 1 million). Photo Bonhams.

*Original Left-hand drive
*Matching Numbers
*Original Colour combination
*USA delivered
*Fully restored by Aston Martin Works Service
*Superb condition

Notes: 'When the products which are raced bear such a close resemblance to those which can be bought by the public, as do those of Aston Martin, only the most biased can deny the value of racing in improving the breed. It should be no surprise (that the DB4) should be based on an engine which first appeared in experimental form in some of last year's races.' - The Autocar, 3rd October 1958.

At its launch in October 1958, the DB4 marked a major turning point for Aston Martin as it was the first car of the David Brown era which neither used a chassis derived from the experimental Atom of 1939 nor an engine designed by W O Bentley. Moreover, it was the first Aston Martin to carryCarrozzeria Touring's 'Superleggera' bodywork, in which light alloy panels were fixed to a framework of light-gauge steel tubes welded to a platform chassis. Although styled by Touring, the DB4's gorgeous fastback coachwork was built under license at Newport Pagnell by Aston Martin, which employed some of the finest panel beaters in the industry. The result was a car whose sleek lines were described as 'unmistakably Italian and yet... equally unmistakably Aston Martin.' The 3.7-litre, six-cylinder power unit was the work of Tadek Marek, and had first been seen at Le Mans the previous year in the DBR2.

This left-hand drive 'Series II' DB4 was delivered new via Aston Martin's United States East Coast importer J S Inskip and first owned by one Fordyce L Foster of Hammondsport, New York. The accompanying copy order form records that the car was finished in Deep Carriage Green with Champagne Connolly leather interior trim (the same combination it wears today) and equipped with a heated rear screen, Bray block heater, Motorola radio and a wing mirror to the driver's side. Service work is recorded in 1961, 1962 and 1973. 

Eventually the DB4 was sold to Norway where its next known owner was shipping-company boss Morten Sigval Bergesen of Oslo. Mr Bergesen obviously prized his DB4, keeping it on display in his office lobby for over 20 years. His son, Morten Bergesen Jr, subsequently took possession of the Aston Martin and in 2004 commissioned a total restoration by Aston Martin Works Service in Newport Pagnell, which was completed without regard to cost and returned the DB4 to impeccable condition, beautifully refinished in its original factory colour scheme. The process was carefully recorded and documented in two Works Service leather binders, complete with sections for each major milestone. Also included are images depicting the engine rebuild together with dynamometer printouts, confirming that the engine produced its factory-specified power output of 240bhp following completion. Its documentation alone cannot fully articulate the thoroughness of this DB4's restoration - only a full examination can convey the care and massive investment in time and money lavished upon it. The current vendor acquired the car directly from Morten Bergesen Jr. 

A truly spectacular example of the DB4 that ushered in a new era at Newport Pagnell, this Series II is, arguably, one of the finest examples extant. Eligible for AMOC and a wide variety of other historic events. Eligible for AMOC and a wide variety of other historic events, it comes with the aforementioned documentation and Arizona Certificate of Title.

1966 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible to 'Vantage' specification

1966 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible to 'Vantage' specification. Chassis no. DB5C/2114/L - Engine no. 400/6863Estimate £650,000 - 750,000 (€890,000 - 1 million). Photo Bonhams.

*One of only 39 left-hand drive DB5 convertibles made
*Delivered new to the USA
*Total rebuild by Bodylines in the early 1990s
*Fitted with a replacement engine to Vantage specification

Notes: 'More and more cars today reach the magical "ton" but those which can do it with the same ease and rapidity of the Aston can be counted on the fingers of one hand. High-speed stability and safety is not cheap to engineer, and with few people to pay the price, production costs are never reduced by the quantity of the work. The DB5 therefore fills a unique corner of the market, a corner at the top end both in the way it performs and the price one pays for the privilege.' –Autocar, 18th September 1964. 

Introduced in 1963, the DB5 was a development of the preceding DB4 that had represented such a giant step forward in Aston Martin's post-war evolution on its arrival in 1958. Classically proportioned, the Touring-designed body established an instantly recognisable look that would stand the marque in good stead until 1970. The DB4's engine was still an all-alloy twin-overhead-camshaft 'six' but the old W O Bentley-designed 3.0-litre unit had been superseded by a new design by Tadek Marek. Proven in racing before it entered production in the DB4, the new 3,670cc engine featured 'square' bore and stroke dimensions of 92x92mm and developed its maximum power of 240bhp at 5,500rpm. The David Brown gearbox was a new four-speed all-synchromesh unit. 

Touring's Superleggera body construction, which employed a lightweight tubular structure to support the aluminium-alloy body panels, was deemed incompatible with the DB2/4-type multi-tubular spaceframe, so engineer Harold Beach drew up an immensely-strong platform-type chassis. Independent front suspension was retained, the DB2/4's trailing links giving way to unequal-length wishbones, while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by a Watts linkage instead of its predecessor's Panhard rod. Five series were built as the model gradually metamorphosed into the DB5. The latter's distinctive cowled headlamps had first appeared on the DB4GT and the newcomer was the same size as the lengthened Series V DB4. The DB5's 3,995cc engine, first seen in the Lagonda Rapide, produced 282bhp and was mated to a four-speed, overdrive-equipped gearbox, a 'proper' ZF five-speed unit being standardised later. Other improvements included alternator electrics, Girling disc brakes instead of Dunlops, Sundym glass, electric windows and an oil pressure gauge as standard equipment. The DB5 was also offered in convertible form (the 'Volante' name would not be applied to the soft-top Aston until the DB6's arrival) while independent coachbuilder Harold Radford offered a shooting brake conversion. 1,021 DB5s were manufactured between July 1963 and September 1965, a total that included a mere 123 convertibles and 12 shooting brakes. 

A desirable five-speed example, this rare left-hand drive DB5 convertible was sold new in the USA via AML Inc and first owned by a Dr Eugene Meyer of Baltimore, Maryland. Its accompanying copy order form reveals that the car was originally finished in black with matching Connolly leather trim and Everflex hood. Normalair air conditioning, chrome wheels, Bosch Koln radio, power operated aerial, Marchal fog lamps, FIAMM horns, detachable headrests and a tonneau cover are among the non-standard items of equipment listed. 

Accident damaged in the 1970s and laid up, the Aston was sourced in the 1980s by a British collector whose aim was to transform it into the 'world's best' DB5 convertible. '2114/L' was dispatched to marque specialists Bodylines where a new chassis/body was fabricated, finished in black and trimmed in tan leather by Gary Wright to concours standards. After completion, the car won at the AMOC's 1992 Autumn Concours and then was shipped back to the USA and shown at the Chicago concours in the mid-1990s. It subsequently changed hands, was repainted in silver, re-trimmed in red and fitted with a replacement engine to Vantage specification. A hardtop, in silver, is included in the sale.

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