Rare Collection of Aston Martins Gather at Works Factory

At Aston Martin Works in Buckinghamshire, where around 13,000 cars were hand built over the course of 50 years before production moved to Gaydon in 2007, a multi-million pound collection of rare Aston Martin sports cars has appeared. These valuable cars have never been seen before, and make their presence felt at the facility which now provides restoration and heritage service to cars from every era of the marque’s 110 year history.

The team at Aston Martin Works has been carefully curating this selection of modern classics and the collection represents a section of some of the most desirable cars created by Aston over the last 15 years, with a particular emphasis on rarity and value.

Justin Pearce, General Sales Manager at Aston Martin Works, explained: “Pulling together this collection of our more recent rarities – including our first true hypercar – has been a long and careful labour of love, and I am thrilled that we have finally been able to unite these Aston Martins for what I believe to be is the first time in a sales context.

“The phrase ‘spoilt for choice’ I think quite rightly springs to mind. I believe it is highly unlikely we will see this particular grouping of the marque’s modern classics together again in a showroom anywhere in the world anytime soon, and it seems to me only fitting that they are offered to the market at the historic home of the brand.”

‘Spoilt for choice’ is certainly the appropriate term, as Aston Martin boasts an incredibly rich history, stretching back multiple decades. Through its longevity, connection with James Bond and royalty, Aston Martin is truly an institution, highlighting the best of British design. However, when we look towards the future, determining the cars that will be future classics is a topic that stirs plenty of debate. Let’s look at the collection that has been put together by the team in Buckinghamshire and establish whether they indeed fit into that bracket.

One-77

Limited to 77 unique examples, as the name suggests, the One-77 was the most exclusive Aston Martin of the ‘Gaydon era’, first making an appearance at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. When I say appearance, I mean a glimpse, as only the front right side was visible to spectators. The full reveal was done at the March 2009 Geneva Motor Show, before the finished car made its full debut at the Concorso d’Eleganza Ville d’Este in April 2009, on the shores of Lake Como, a fitting location for such a car. There it won the Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes, an award warranted for such a well-sculpted vehicle.

At a million pounds, it was Aston Martin’s most expensive car to date but also its fastest, with a top speed of 220 mph, thanks to its 7.3-litre V12 and advanced technology. This was a car designed to stand up to the likes of Bugatti and Pagani in the hypercar world and did a pretty good job, earning outstanding praise from motoring journalists and petrolheads the world over.

V12 Zagato

Using the combination of computer aided modelling techniques and hand sculpted clays, the V12 Zagato was unveiled in May 2011 at the Villa d’Este Concours by Lake Como, using styling cues from Aston Martin and Zagato as inspiration.

The 6.0-litre V12 shared its mechanical components with the V12 Vantage, reaching a top speed of 190 mph and clad in aluminium and carbon fibre.

It was an instant success for the judges in Italy, winning the Concorso d’Eleganza trophy, and proved itself on track, finishing fifth and sixth overall in the annual 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. The car’s exclusivity is reaffirmed with a price of nearly £400,000 and opinion was divided at release as to whether the car was worth the money in comparison to a Ferrari 458 or McLaren 12C.

Vantage GT12

Unveiled in 2015 and limited to just 100 examples, the Vantage GT12 was Aston Martin’s most performance focused Vantage, combining years of knowledge acquired by the company in sports car competitions around the world.

The 6.0-litre V12 engine helped it reach 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 185 mph. Weighing 100kg less than a standard V12 Vantage S, it was re-engineered and restyled thanks to inspiration from the GT3. This was an Aston Martin very much focused for the track, with extensive use of carbon fibre and an aerodynamics pack. Starting at £250,000, the GT12 was praised for its lighter and freer steering whilst maintaining an aggressive performance.

Vantage GT8

In 2016, Aston Martin unveiled the Vantage GT8, taking inspiration from the V8 Vantage GT8 race car. The 440bhp 4.7-litre V8, combined with carbon fibre bodywork and aerodynamic function created a car that was born for the track.

Starting at £165,000, £70,000 more than a standard V8 Vantage, the race-bred engineering certainly justified the extra cost, with journalists praising it as a viable alternative to the 911 GT3 or BMW M4 GTS.

A Factory Reborn

In 2017, 10 years after the Aston Martin Works factory in Buckinghamshire closed, new car production returned to the site with the DB4 GT Continuation, followed by the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation and the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation. With 110 years of history, Aston Martin continues to honour and preserve its heritage, whilst pushing to go bigger and better in terms of performance and innovation. Long may it continue.

Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Aston Martin Works