Aston Martin DBS Vantage, 1969
Aston Martin DBS I
Aston Martin DBS I•
•137 مشاهدة
Chassis No.: DBS/5412/L
Engine No.: 400/4128/SVC
Estimate: €120,000 - €150,000
- French title
- Previously owned by a famous Italian yacht designer
- Vantage version, original LHD car
- One of 71 Vantage, ZF gearbox example
- Mechanical and cosmetic restoration
Unveiled in 1967, the DBS was a luxurious coupé with four full-size seats. Development of the new chassis had gone faster than that of the new V8 engine, and the DBS therefore began its career with the company’s noble four-litre in-line six. The DBS was a proper James Bond Aston Martin, appearing in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, with George Lazenby playing 007. This DBS Vantage was built in 1969, but it was not until 1971 that it was sold new, in Italy, to Signora Marcella Fossati, in the region of La Spezia, as is noted in the copy of its ‘Libretto’. The car was finished in Amethyst, with a natural leather interior. Signora Fossati registered it on 29 May 1972.
The car’s second owner was none other than Franco Anselmi Boretti, a naval architect and a brilliant and passionate designer, who was constantly in search of innovation in the field of yachts and pleasure craft. Boretti was one of the most creative designers of his time, with projects ranging from traditional sailing boats to luxurious modern yachts. The DBS was bought in 2007 by a Kuwaiti sheikh and Aston Martin enthusiast, and sold to its current owner in 2021 at an auction in Paris.
The car was then completely restored, with the mechanical work undertaken by Classic Affairs at Bourron-Marlotte in the Seine-et-Marne (the invoice for 23,000 € is in the history file), and the entire body was stripped to bare metal (with photographs of the restoration also on file) before being repainted in a magnificent olive green metallic. The interior was completely retrimmed in natural leather, as when it left the factory, and the carpets were also replaced. Since the work was completed, the car has been driven only occasionally and is in excellent mechanical condition (as observed during the inspection and photo session).
The clutch has recently been replaced, and a full service, including an oil change, has just been completed. This example has a great history as well as having been looked after with the utmost care by its current owner. A timeless classic for a sporting gentleman. Photos © Alexis Ruben
