Bonhams’ Aston Martin sale is packed with delights

And these are our 10 favourites…

What’s a classic car auction without an Aston Martin? From the fabled DB5 to the meaty DBS, the iconic brand has long been synonymous with speed, style and plenty of pounds sterling.

Bonhams, though, has taken that logic to the next level: for the last two decades, the renowned auction house has hosted a sale exclusively for machines built by the British marque.

And this year is no exception. On Sunday 19 May, the Wormsley Estate in Buckinghamshire will host the 20th edition of the Bonhams Aston Martin Sale – and there are some real treats up for grabs.

Fancy something sporty for the summer? Here are our top picks from the lot list.

1969 Aston Martin DBS

Estimate: £100,000 – £120,000

You’ve got to feel for the original DBS: designed to take a burly V8 motor and styled with muscular curves to match, the late-’60s GT instead launched with the 4-litre straight-six from its DB6 contemporary. Which was nice, but not quite the same.

Today, though, it’s much easier to appreciate the dashing DBS. Less powerful than its V8 successor, the handsome, hard-edged coupé could nevertheless hit 140mph and deliver stellar cruising comfort thanks to independent suspension on every corner.

And if you’re in the market for a DBS, this 1969 number – the only one on offer at the Bonhams sale – is appealing indeed. Imported from the USA five years ago, it heads to auction complete with factory five-speed ZF gearbox, power steering and that arresting Silver Birch paint job.

1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage X-Pack

Estimate: £320,000 – £360,000

If, on the other hand, you really can’t do without eight cylinders under the hood, you’ll be spoilt for choice at the Bonhams auction: no fewer than eight V8 machines are set to cross the block, from drop-top Volantes to thrumming Vantage-spec examples.

Nicest – and meatiest – of the bunch is this late-’80s example of the brawny two-door, in ultimate Vantage X-Pack spec. Don’t speak Aston Martin? That means it has the 580X engine – good for something like 420bhp.

And this one is truly as good as they come. One of just 131 factory examples still in existence, chassis 12576 is a check-box exercise in responsible ownership, having enjoyed meticulous (and expensive) maintenance for its entire life.

It goes to auction in impeccable and almost completely original condition, and, as a result, could fetch as much as £360k.

1952 Lagonda 2.6-litre

Estimate: £70,000 – £80,000

From an ultimate evolution to a genesis machine, this Lagonda 2.6-litre is a lovely example of the first model built by Aston Martin under David Brown’s seminal ownership.

And, while it’s a long way from the sporty GTs that would later take Brown’s initials, the 2.6 was nevertheless a pivotal machine – one wrapped in a shell penned by Frank Feeley before he switched direction with the DB2 and powered by a block designed by W.O. Bentley before he left the firm.

Registered in 1952, this maroon and cream number has a slightly uncertain past – including question marks over a historic repaint – but remains a picture of mid-century cruising elegance.

1959 Aston Martin DB MkIII

Estimate: £85,000 – £115,000

Speaking of questionable histories, this late-’50s DB MkIII is quite the mystery machine. We know that it is chassis 1813, which marks it out as one of just three examples factory-fitted with an automatic transmission. We also know that it was delivered new to California wearing a Desert White paint job.

Beyond that, facts are pretty hard to come by. It was sold once in 1988, again in 1996, and finally found its way to the current owner in 2014 – but the salient point is this: 1813 needs a whole lot of TLC.

Stripped down and shorn of many major components, the MkIII heads to auction with an incomplete 3-litre motor, a David Brown manual gearbox and a Borg Warner automatic transmission. Oh, and an estimate of £85-115k. At least it’s reported to be rust-free, eh?

1957 Aston Martin DB MkIII

Estimate: £200,000 – £300,000

Can’t face a restoration? For a vision of the MkIII in more glorious form, try this 1957 example of the gorgeous GT.

Delivered new to New York, the 120mph machine returned to the UK in 1988 and promptly received a masterful restoration – one that took eight years to complete and saw the then-weathered saloon body replaced by stunning drop-head coupé coachwork, crafted from an original Tickford shell.

Converted to right-hand drive and recoated in dark blue, chassis 1361 has since passed through several owners, but remains a well-kept, matching-numbers stunner. You’ll have to stump up £200-300k if you fancy it. Too much? There’s always that project instead…

1966 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage

Estimate: £330,000 – £370,000

The last of the original DB machines, the steel-bodied DB6 was arguably the ultimate ’60s sports car thanks to its thrilling combination of speed, style and grace – and never more so than in 325bhp Vantage spec.

And if it’s a DB6 you want, you’ll struggle to do better than this burgundy beauty.

A long-time resident of New Zealand, chassis 2498/R came back to Blighty in 2001. Sold twice since then, it heads to auction fresh from a comprehensive two-year restoration by Aston Martin Works – a makeover so exacting that it earned the Gold Standard in Aston’s Assured Provenance assessment. 

1993 Aston Martin Virage Volante

Estimate: £150,000 – £180,000

Like your ’90s haircut, the Virage is the Aston we don’t often talk about. A contemporary step-change it might have been, but the late-’80s replacement for the ageing V8 wasn’t exactly sleek.

Still, at least it had plenty of power – especially when its maker decided to offer factory upgrades in the ’90s, fitting the already mean machine with a race-bred 6.3-litre 450bhp engine through the Works Service program.

Which is exactly what the owner of this drop-top Virage had done two years after buying it – and he obviously enjoyed the revision, retaining the beefy speed machine until 2016.

Fully restored since then, it goes to auction in fantastic condition and with all the performance you’d expect of a high-spec two-door worth at least £150,000.

1986 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato

Estimate: £420,000 – £480,000

While we’re on the topic of oddly styled Aston Martins, few coupés in the history of motoring have proved quite as divisive as Zagato’s revision of the V8 Vantage.

From the boxy grille and bulging nose to the double-bubble roof and vast glass that wrapped the cabin, there was plenty to criticise about the Italian firm’s design – but, shorn of 168kg, the 5.3-litre special-edition was certainly quick.

And what better way to celebrate the coachbuilder’s centenary in 2019 than by shelling out nearly half a million quid on this one-of-52 example from 1986, still wearing its original shade of Lightning Silver?

Overhauled in 2010 to the tune of £10k, it was serviced again last year for £11k, leaving it in fantastic condition now – though still just as funny looking.

1963 Aston Martin DB5

Estimate: £625,000 – £700,000

Want the full James Bond look for your DB5? Try the 1964 number up for grabs at the Bonhams sale, finished in the shade of Silver Birch so synonymous with 007 – yours for a cool £620-680k.

Prefer something bolder? This crimson machine will certainly get you noticed at the Casino Royale, thanks to its Fiesta Red finish – a colour that adorned just 42 of the 1000 or so built.

A left-hand drive example delivered new to the UK, chassis 1336 was sold to a buyer in the Middle East in 2016, where it lost its history file but gained a restoration. So its past is uncertain, but its condition certainly isn’t – as the £700k upper estimate should tell you.

1963 Aston Martin DB4 Series V Convertible

Estimate: £680,000 – £750,000

An impeccable example of Aston’s stunning ’60s sports tourer, this convertible DB4 is an all-red lesson in elegant performance – and can still turn heads like it did five decades ago.

One of only 70 drop-top DB4s ever made, it heads to the block with a detailed history – including a period with a former Millwall goalkeeper, who had it restored in the early ’80s – and fresh from five years of servicing by Aston Martin Works.

It’s basically the complete package, which explains the staggering £680-750k estimate. But while there are cheaper ways to get the wind in your hair this summer, none will be quite so stylish.

Bonhams’ Aston Martin sale takes place on Sunday 19 May. More info here.