The 1962 New York Motor Show Car

Chassis: DB4/882/L

In 1962, New York was the largest and most diverse city in the USA. It acted as a crossroads for every conceivable culture, the city’s airwaves pumping out over 12 different languages from Yiddish to Polish. It was the home to and catalyst for Andy Warhol’s Pop Art movement, an era-defining underground jazz scene and Bob Dylan’s meteoric rise to fame.

In short, New York in 1962 was the place to be.

The New York International Auto Show, established in 1900, was the oldest and most prestigious motor show in North America. By the early 1960s it had become a vital stage for European manufacturers seeking to mark their presence within the lucrative United States market. For Aston Martin, whose principal export destination was North America, the importance of the New York show cannot be overstated. It was here, before an audience of international press, industry figures and affluent clientele, that the marque presented its finest offerings in order to reinforce its reputation for engineering excellence and understated British luxury.

Enter Stage Left, chassis DB4/882/L, the DB4 chosen by Aston Martin for the New York Motor Show in 1962. One of just 185 Series IV cars produced, more specifically, it is one of only 65 originally configured in left-hand drive.

For Motor Show duty, presentation, specification and finish were of paramount importance. Accordingly, DB4/882/L was prepared with particular care. Equipped with the highly desirable overdrive transmission, an essential feature for refined high-speed touring, together with electric windows and a Motorola radio, details that enhanced its appeal to the sophisticated American market. Finished by the Factory in Rose Beige there is a body of belief amongst Aston Martin historians that this colour is unique to this car.

Having completed its show duties, DB4/882/L enjoyed a cossetted existence on the East Coast of the United States, with its first owner being the well-known New York philanthropist Lindley Paskus Esq. Thereafter, almost all subsequent ownership was shared amongst members of the Aston Martin Owners Club, an organisation renowned for its dedication to maintaining the highest standards of originality and mechanical integrity.

The accompanying history file documents the Aston’s regular participation in the Club’s annual Lime Rock Concours and Sprint meetings, an event that combined static presentation with performance driving. The DB4 received several awards at this event.

Well documented within the history file is that Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd in New Rochelle, New York, the UK Factory’s operation in the USA, featured prominently in the car’s maintenance, and then subsequently ‘Steel Wings’, widely regarded as the leading Aston Martin workshop on the American East Coast which undertook extensive servicing for its most recent United States owner, work which included a comprehensive cylinder head rebuild. A recent compression test has demonstrated excellent readings across all cylinders.

Now registered in the United Kingdom, DB4/882/L retains its original ‘matching numbers’ engine. In October 2025 the car secured a new MOT certificate without advisories. In addition, approximately £48,000 has recently been expended on servicing and maintenance.

In February 2025 the Registrar of the Aston Martin Heritage Trust produced a detailed nine-page report on the vehicle. The report describes the DB4 as being in “highly original condition”. Another respected Aston Martin specialist following a recent service inspection said “This is the first DB4 I have seen with a chassis that has never been welded”.

Originality, rarity, documented provenance, and Factory show history combine here in a manner seldom encountered. Over the ensuing six decades the majority of DB4s have been restored, often extensively, and while many have been beautifully refurbished few can claim the combination of Factory show provenance, limited Series IV production, left-hand drive rarity, continuous enthusiast ownership, original engine, and the remarkable structural preservation found in LML/882/L.

Finished in its original colour of Rose Beige with a red leather interior, the car presents today with a patina and authenticity that cannot be replicated. It is offered complete with its tool roll, original Bevelift jack, V5 Registration Certificate, Owner’s Handbook, and a very comprehensive history file that chronicles its life from Factory show stand to the present day.

Examples of such provenance and preservation appear on the market infrequently. For the serious collector seeking not merely just another restored DB4, but one of exceptional historical resonance and documented integrity, DB4/882/L represents an increasingly rare proposition.

Available now for viewing and demonstration at Pendine’s Bicester Motion showroom.