Left-hand drive
1987 Aston Martin V8 Volante
Registration no. German Registered
Chassis no. SCFCV81C7HTL15511
Engine no. V/585/5511

Aston Martin had always intended the DBS to house its new V8 engine, but production difficulties meant that the car first appeared with the DB6's 4.0-litre six. Bigger and more luxuriously appointed than the DB6, the heavyweight DBS disappointed some by virtue of its slightly reduced performance, but there were no complaints when the V8 finally arrived in 1969. With an estimated 315bhp available from its 5,340cc four-cam motor, the DBS V8 could reach 100mph in under 14 seconds, running on to a top speed of 160mph, a staggering performance in those days and one which fully justified the claim that it was the fastest production car in the world.

After Aston Martin's acquisition by Company Developments in 1972, production resumed with the Series 2, now known as the Aston Martin V8 and distinguishable by a restyled front end recalling the looks of earlier Astons. The most successful Aston Martin ever, the V8 survived the changes of ownership and financial upheavals of the 1970s, enjoying a record-breaking production run lasting from 1969 to 1988, with 2,919 cars sold.

Described by former Aston Martin Chairman Victor Gauntlett as, 'a stylish thoroughbred, beautifully built, luxurious, fast and immensely safe,' the V8 was built in several variants, one of the more exclusive being the Volante convertible. Introduced in response to customers' demands for such a car, the Volante first appeared in June 1978. Arguably the ultimate in soft-top luxury, the newcomer boasted a lined, power-operated hood which, when erected, endowed the walnut embellished interior with all the solidity and refinement associated with the saloon version. Although its open-car aerodynamics meant that top speed suffered with the hood down, the Volante's 150mph maximum nevertheless ranked it among the world's fastest convertibles. V8 Volante and Vantage Volante chassis numbers ran from '15001' to '15849', a total of 849 cars.

Finished in Windsor Red with Magnolia leather interior and matching hood, this left-hand drive, automatic transmission V8 Volante boasts the desirable options of air conditioning and BBS alloy wheels. The car was supplied new to British Motors in Monaco and registered in the Principality in March 1987 to Mr Dag Fristedt, remaining with the Fristedts in Monaco for the first 16 years of its life. Its accompanying service booklet is stamped by British Motors followed by various local specialists.

Re-registered in the UK in 2003, the car was offered for sale at Bonhams' Works Service auction in May of that year (Lot 212) where it was purchased by the previous owner. At time of acquisition the Aston had covered 61,000 kilometres (approximately 38,000 miles).

The car comes with the aforementioned service booklet, owner's handbook, previous-owner service bills dating back to 1997, the 2003 purchase invoice and full service history relating to the previous owner's ten-year period of ownership. This consists of bills issued by Aston Martin agents Autohaus Kronberg, which record the odometer reading rising from 61,168 kilometres in July 2003 to 62,511 in November 2009, a distance of only 1,343 kilometres (approximately 834 miles) in six years. The current odometer reading is 63,051 kilometres (approximately 39,150 miles). Further documentation consists of an expert's valuation report (December 2009), a copy of the old UK V5 and German registration papers.