AUTUMN / WINTER 2015 Nicholas Mee & Co’s world of Aston Martin • ISSUE 21

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AUTUMN / WINTER 2015
Nicholas Mee & Co’s world of Aston Martin • ISSUE 21

fullbore
Front cover image: ‘Unique’ Lynx 7.0 L Turbo Virage being put through its paces
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Mee Speak
Nick reflects on changing times in the world of motoring, the
prevalence of increasingly high-tech and even autonomous cars,
lamenting the real drivers’ machines of the past – while offering
succour from the NM&Co showroom. He also has a speaking
engagement in January on his mind…
Z CARS
On Patrol in the ‘last DB Aston Martin Zagato’. Motoring guru
Steve Wakefield discovers the allure of the limited-edition DB7 GT
Zagato. There are words, fine pictures and video.
WHAT’S IN STOCK
The latest news from the Brackenbury House showroom, as full as
ever with a comprehensive selection of Astons.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
The story of the ‘Bannenberg DB4’. Steve Wakefield takes a look
at the heart-warming and fascinating story of a very special ‘car
for life’.
Market Review 2015
The enduring attraction of the ‘analogue car’ fuels demand for
powerful classic Astons. The great minds of the NM&Co sales
team consider another year of brisk trade, and consider what
2016 holds for the market.
AstonStore Christmas 2015
We have a fabulous selection of Aston Martin-related gifts, ones
that we’d like to receive this year!
LONDON CLASSIC CAR SHOW 2016
A date for your 2016 diary, one not to be missed judging by the
standard of the 2015 event.
Windrush Car Storage
Our answer to your Central London car storage requirements.
Sales
Service & Aftercare
Contacts
© Nicholas Mee & Co Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication
Nicholas Mee & Company Ltd
Nicholas Mee & Company Ltd
T: +44 (0)208 741 8822
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
Brackenbury House,
Brackenbury Garage,
F: +44 (0)208 741 7422
form or by any means electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the
158-160 Goldhawk Road,
12 Wellesley Avenue,
info@nicholasmee.co.uk
prior permission in writing of the copyright owner.
West London, W12 8HJ
London, W6 0UP
http://www.nicholasmee.co.uk
Creative Director: Adrian Morley, www.theseen.biz

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Christmas opening hours:
Nicholas Mee & Company will close for business at
6pm on Wednesday 23rd December
and will reopen at 8am on Monday 4th January.
For all enquiries during the holiday season,
please call 07718 340811.

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MEE
SPEAK
Autumn / Winter 2015
Tradition has it that during the winter months we in the classic car arena satisfy our passion by
attending shows, auctions and awards dinners. This winter is no exception, with the Bonhams
annual Bond Street sale just around the corner in December, then the Aston Martin Owners Cluborganised
Walter Hayes lecture and dinner in January, and Paris Rétromobile and the London
Classic Car show the month after.
This year’s Walter Hayes lecture at the splendid Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall is to be given
by none other than yours truly. It’s both an honour and a daunting task, and I’ll be addressing 150
or more AM enthusiasts on the subject of selling Aston Martins in the ’70s and ’80s when I was
cutting my teeth at AM’s London showrooms. The reality of having accepted the challenge hangs
over me like the sword of Damocles, with my only hope being that one or two of our readers
might join me on the night – some friendly faces in the crowd, as it were! Anyone interested, book
via: http://www.amht.org.uk/t/WHML
Talking of defining moments, as scandals go the VW one is pretty big. I suspect the outcome, while
no doubt costly to the burghers of Saxony, will do much to speed up the proliferation of hybrid
and/or electric-powered cars (as well as autonomous ones) on our roads in the near future. No
doubt good for the planet, these wonders of modern technology are likely to offer very little by
way of driving pleasure. Speculating over this recently only reinforced the belief of how spoilt we
have been with our cars in the past, particularly those providing a stimulating experience. Being
able to slide a car through a bend, steer it on the throttle, get a tingle from the exhaust note and
even to raise a chirp! from the driven wheels at the least, remains a pleasure. In essence, gaining
some enjoyment from controlling a motor car is becoming a thing of the past, with electronic
driver aids and even electronic exhaust notes removing that connection with reality.
It’s all a shame, but maybe an incentive to acquire an ‘old school’ car from the past, one that gives
entertainment increasingly unobtainable in machines of the future. Progress? Yes, as long as you
are not looking for a car to drive, more a car to arrive in. As far as the next generation of cars is
concerned, I’m not sure where the satisfaction will be, but time will tell.
Elsewhere in this issue of FullBore, we are delighted to bring to your attention a superb selection
of rare and exciting cars. Fully prepared and serviced in our workshops to the highest standards,
and presented in our West London showrooms, there really is a car for everyone. From DB4s to
DB9s, Vanquishs, Vantages and even a rare four-door Lagonda Rapide, perfect for that family
outing in a classic. In fact, we’ve even launched a new website to showcase them. As ever,
feedback from our readers is most welcome, but meanwhile, wherever you are in the world and
whatever your plans, we hope that you enjoy your festive season and we look forward to hearing
from you and seeing many of you in 2016.
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Z Cars
On patrol in the ‘last DB Aston Martin Zagato’
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FullBore readers must be familiar with the expression ‘modern classic’.
It’s meant for cars built in the last 20 years or so, ones with all the
conveniences of modern life yet still having the character, breeding
and manners of the true greats of years gone by.
Put together, the words ‘DB Aston Martin’ and
‘Zagato’ send a tingle down the spine. There’s true
greatness there, and the final Aston ‘DB’ with coachwork
by the celebrated Italian carrozzeria almost defines the
genre of modern classicism.
It is, of course, the DB7 GT Zagato: an uprated, lighter
version of Aston’s big grand tourer with a wheelbase
shortened by 60mm, wildly exotic coachwork by the
Milanese masters of the unusual and powered by the
DB7 GT’s most potent, 435bhp V12.
Just 99 were built, from mid-2003 onwards. When a
prototype was revealed at Pebble Beach in August 2002,
over 300 registered their interest in the new car, one
always likely to be the final version of the ever-popular
Aston that was succeeded by the all-new, Gaydonbuilt
DB9 in 2003. The order book was filled as soon as
it opened.
From the early years in the 1920s, Carrozzeria Zagato,
first run by founder Ugo Zagato, then his son Elio and
latterly grandson Andrea, has been a byword for unusual
design, creative flair, a devotion to compact packaging
and, most of all, an obsession with performance.
The Milanese company bodied road and racing Alfa
Romeos in the 1920s. It then turned its attention to lowproduction
sports cars in the 1940s, 1950s and early
1960s (Zagato’s ‘golden age’) with international racing
regulations – partly laid out by Elio Zagato, it has to be
said – allowing a small run of say 30 special cars to be
homologated as ‘production’ GTs.
Other small Italian carrozzerie and tuners such as
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Abarth joined in the fun, but it was Zagato that was
the pre-eminent special coachbuilder for already
fast chassis and drivetrains from Fiat, Alfa Romeo,
Maserati, Lancia and even Ferrari itself. Zagato-bodied
racing cars were light, aerodynamic (Ugo himself had
started his working life in an aeroplane company), fast
and reliable. Elio Zagato was a talented racing driver.
The signature ‘double bubble’ roof was so that driver
and co-driver could wear crash helmets in racing cars
with low rooflines. The big ‘mouth’ grilles allowed
maximum cooling air to the highly tuned, often smallcapacity
motors.
Legendary Zagato racing cars included its version of
the 1952 Fiat 8V, a model which dominated the Italian
national gran turismo championship throughout the
1950s, and the ‘pocket rocket’ 1960s Alfa SZs and TZs.
Perhaps the most celebrated, and valuable today, was
the company’s stunning treatment of Aston Martin’s
already potent DB4 GT, announced in 1960 and of which
just 19 were built.
All slightly different, most DB4 GT Zagatos were raced
at some point in their lives, very often at the highest
level at Le Mans or Goodwood. Few would disagree that
the superlative lines of the 1960s car are both instantly
recognisable and for curvy seductiveness equal to any
Ferrari or Maserati.
It was no surprise, therefore, that when the 21 st Century
Aston Martin Zagato was revealed it drew comparisons
with the original, itself a lighter, shorter-wheelbase and
more potent version of the DB4.
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Taking a walk round the DB7 GT Zagato, you can spot
one Zagato keynote after another: the ‘double bubble’
roof, the big grille, madly curving and sculpted rear
screen with cut-outs for the roof, unusual ‘letter box’
boot, big single rear lights. The shorter wheelbase
gives the car some ‘edge’ over the regular DB7, a car of
elegant proportions, but one lacking the aggression of
the squatter, shorter Italian. All the body panels were
handcrafted in Italy, by the way, mostly in aluminium.
Inside, it’s a pure two-seater, with a rear parcel shelf just
for luggage. The interior is entirely trimmed in buttery,
semi-aniline leather, with much diamond stitching on
our car. It is very luxurious, although this car retains
the wood trim of the regular ’7’s dashboard, and the
standard switch and pedal layout – the latter taking
some getting used to, as it’s tight with three pedals and
clearly engineered for automatics.
Turn the key and thumb the big red starter button,
the V12 fires up with an exhaust note slightly sub-
Vanquish, but still with purpose. Wending my way
through West London, the car draws attention, and I can
see bystanders and swivel-necked car drivers clearly
enough through the front and side windows, although
rear visibility takes getting used to. It feels a compact,
manageable car in London traffic, easy to park and
narrow enough for most streets.
Out on the open road, I let it loose a little. At 1740kg
it’s 60kg lighter than the standard car. This, the 435bhp
motor and a shorter wheelbase make it more nimble.
The Zagato changes direction with ease. The flexible,
5935cc engine does not shout, “rev me!” as its Italian
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Various individually numbered custom accessories that
accompanied the car when purchased new
counterparts might, but the reduction in weight and
length make it a strong performer that lives up to the
name ‘Zagato’. This car has very low mileage, you can
feel no creaks or rumbles from the suspension – it’s
tight as a drum, the engine, brakes and gearbox working
together as well as when it was built in 2003.
This is, after all, one of the advantages of the modern
classic: relatively recent cars in fine mechanical fettle,
yet having the character and indefinable sense of style
found in older ones.
The contrarians might say they can’t get on with
the styling. Well, Zagato has always divided opinion,
with every post-War car it had a hand in indubitably
‘different’, and some downright ugly. As you can see
from the photos, it has a certain squat menace, and
it’s far removed from the regular DB7 GT with its small
wheels, low roof and long wheelbase.
No, the DB7 GT Zagato can lay claim to a title once
given to its illustrious forebear, “an Old Etonian in a
sharp Italian suit.” By coincidence, Aston used Savile
Row tailors Gives and Hawkes for a reception to launch
the car.
Perhaps they got it wrong, maybe it’s more at home
now in the quadrilatero della moda (‘fashion square’) of
the Via Montenapoleone fashion district in Milan. Style
gurus, and connoisseurs of modern classics should try
a DB7 GT Zagato for fit. Just remember it’s best paired
with narrow Italian driving shoes.
PLAY VIDEO
Words /
Steve Wakefield
Steve Wakefield is one
of the most experienced
commentators on the world
of Aston Martin, new and
old. Having club-raced DB
Astons, and then road-tested
all Gaydon-era cars for
classicdriver.com, he now
works as an independent
consultant in the realm of
collectors’ classic cars.
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What’s
in stock
In this section we showcase a selection of the best examples of Aston Martins from the 1950s
to the present day, all available for sale at our Brackenbury House showrooms.
Prior to delivery all cars are:
Heritage-quality prepared + multi-point checked + serviced + MoT’d
+ 12 months warranty
»
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2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato £POA
1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series 2 £POA
FULLBORE EXCLUSIVE
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Mileage: 7000 miles Registered: 2003 Engine Size: 5.9L
Mileage: 75,600 miles Registered: 1961 Engine Size: 3.7 L
Previous Owners: 3 Bodystyle: Coupe Transmission: 6spd Manual
Previous Owners: 3 Bodystyle: Coupe Transmission: 4 spd manual
Colour: Chiltern Green Interior Trim: Olive Green
Colour: Goodwood Green Interior Trim: Red
Introduced in 2003, the DB7 Zagato rekindled the relationship
between Aston Martin and Italian coachbuilder Zagato.
The very special coupé was built as a strictly limited production
run of just 99 cars, only available in the UK, mainland Europe
and South East Asia.
The superb example we are now delighted to offer is finished
in Chiltern Green with Olive Green semi-analine hides and
walnut veneers. This car has had just three previous owners
and covered only 7,000 miles from new. Supplied in excellent
condition throughout – as befits the low mileage – and with
our usual high standards of preparation, including a fresh
service, MOT and 12 months warranty.
One of fewer than 125 original left-hand drive Series II DB4s.
Built in March 1961, chassis 490/L was originally registered to
Aston Martin themselves before being registered to its long
term-Italian owner in London in 1963. On his death in 1981
the car became the property of his sons, who kept it until
2005 when it was purchased by the last owner, an established
collector in Switzerland.
Effectively three owners from new, and known to us since
2005, when re-registered in the UK the car has been kept in
excellent condition, being maintained by Aston Martin Works,
ourselves and the last owner’s resident mechanic. 490/L is
still to its original specification of a 3.7-litre engine with David
Brown 4-speed transmission. Original options including an oil
cooler and chromed wire wheels are present on the car today.
Available for viewing and demonstration in December
PLAY VIDEO MORE INFO Call (0)20 8741 8822
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR FULL DETAILS (0)20 8741 8822
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1986 V8 Vantage Zagato £375,000
1964 Lagonda Rapide £225,000
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Mileage: 3963 miles Registered: 1986 Engine Size: 5.3l
Mileage: 51,438 miles Registered: 1964 Engine Size: 4l
Previous Owners: 2 Bodystyle: Coupe Transmission: 5 spd manual
Previous Owners: 3 Bodystyle: Saloon Transmission: Automatic
Colour: Lightning Silver Interior Trim: Burgundy
Colour: Blue Interior Trim: Magnolia
Announced in 1985, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato
reunited legendary Carrozzeria Zagato with Aston Martin after
a 25-year break. Just 50 production cars and two prototypes
were built, with rolling chassis production coming from
Newport Pagnell and the aluminium coachwork hand-formed
and fitted at the Zagato factory in Milan.
Featuring the ‘X pack’ 430 bhp V8 engine, the lightweight
Vantage chassis combined comfort and performance,
propelling the car from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and then on to
a top speed of 186mph. More compact than the Newport
Pagnell-bodied cars, the V8 Vantage Zagato is over 10% lighter
and 7in shorter, improving both the roadholding and braking
performance.
‘Matching numbers’ - one of fewer than 50 cars extant -
comprehensive history file – extensive restoration - uprated
engine and suspension – a ‘family friendly’ four–seater.
Conceived by the late Sir David Brown to be stylish, rapid and
a genuine four-seat saloon, the 1963 Lagonda Rapide was a
comfortable, very individual car with all the performance one
associates with other Newport Pagnell Astons such as the DB4
and DB5. It was built on the same production line and used a
4.0-litre version of the classic ‘six’. All hand-crafted coachwork
was attached to the chassis via the same Superleggera
method of construction.
Just 55 examples were manufactured, of which it is believed
only 47 remain in circulation.
PLAY VIDEO MORE INFO Call (0)20 8741 8822
PLAY VIDEO MORE INFO Call (0)20 8741 8822
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1995 Aston Martin Virage LE –
‘Lynx’ £POA
1991 Aston Martin Virage
£99,950
2007 Aston Martin Vanquish S
£120,000
2002 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
Volante £42,950
PLAY VIDEO
MORE INFO
PLAY VIDEO
MORE INFO
MORE INFO
MORE INFO
Call (0)20 8741 8822
Call (0)20 8741 8822
Call (0)20 8741 8822 Call (0)20 8741 8822
1978 V8 Vantage ‘Ex Sir
Elton John’ £235,000
2007 Aston Martin DB9
£42,950
2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
£44,950
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Roadster £47,950
PLAY VIDEO
MORE INFO
MORE INFO
PLAY VIDEO MORE INFO MORE INFO
Call (0)20 8741 8822
Call (0)20 8741 8822
Call (0)20 8741 8822 Call (0)20 8741 8822
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2003 Aston Martin DB AR1
£225,000
Junior Racer
£19,950
CONSULT THE
EXPERTS
For expert, confidential advice on the current value of any Aston Martin, our highly experienced
team is on hand to assist. Whether you choose outright purchase or consignment, we are
pleased to provide expert opinion on values and the best route to market for you.
PLAY VIDEO
MORE INFO
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Call (0)20 8741 8822 Call (0)20 8741 8822
1967 Jaguar MKII
£27,500
2015 Junior Roadster
£14,950
MORE INFO
MORE INFO
Above is a small selection of the Aston Martins sold by Nicholas Mee & Company in the last 12 months.
Call (0)20 8741 8822
Call (0)20 8741 8822
www.nicholasmee.co.uk Telephone: 0208 741 882 Email: info@nicholasmee.co.uk
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Words / Steve Wakefield
A
Family
Affair
The story of the ‘Bannenberg DB4’
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“My dad bought the car second-hand for £1600 in 1964. He was a pretty
groovy guy and we had the DB4 as our sole form of transportation in
and around the King’s Road in the 1960s. Although four or five at the
time, I can well remember being driven to school in ‘26 KD’.
t was flown to France on a Bristol Freighter from
“ILydd in Kent, and we’d all have great fun in it
on holidays in the Loire Valley. We had it for three or
four years before Dad traded it in for a DB6. This was
later replaced by an XJC – he preferred two-door cars.
Interestingly, as a designer he always insisted the cars
were stripped of unnecessary badges and trim, as they
offended his sense of purity of line. The DB6 and Jaguar
were modified this way, but never the DB4. It was the
designer in him…”
Dickie Bannenberg recounting the story of his late father
– renowned yacht designer Jon Bannenberg – and his
love of cars, the Series 4 Aston Martin DB4 in particular,
with fond affection. Full Bore was speaking to Dickie in
the Wandsworth Bridge Road offices of Bannenberg &
Rowell Design, a few weeks after he’d taken delivery
of a fully restored ‘26 KD’, a project undertaken by the
technicians at Brackenbury Garage.
Jon Bannenberg’s name is synonymous with high-end
interior and exterior yacht design, and from the late
1960s onwards his studio created one after another
ground-breaking and original designs. From early
commissions that included several rooms and first class
suites in the Queen Elizabeth 2, Jon Bannenberg’s first
high-profile superyacht was German retailing tycoon
Helmut Horten’s Carinthia VI, launched in 1972. From
then onwards the superrich and the shipyards of the
world engaged Jon Bannenberg to give his innovative
stamp to the interiors and exteriors of the finest
and most expensive yachts. Clients such as Malcolm
Forbes, Larry Ellison and Alan Bond, all recognised his
unique talents.
Under Jon Bannenberg’s direction the studio also
handled complete rebuilds, commissions that included
the 1929 Krupp boatyard-built Talitha for the Getty
family. Bannenberg & Rowell have continued that family
connection with the rebuild of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s
Blue Bird of 1938 for Tara Getty, himself an owner of
a DB4.
But back to the story of the ‘Bannenberg DB4’. Thanks
to the original build sheet obtained from Aston Service
Dorset, we see that ‘26 KD’, chassis DB4/916/R, was first
registered in July 1962 to Elon Crowther & Sons Ltd, a
Huddersfield-based textile company. It was a regular
twin-SU car with overdrive, finished in Black Pearl with
Terracotta Connolly hide. Jon Bannenberg owned it
soon after and, as Dickie recalled, “had the usual issues
of running a very expensive car in Central London – but
nothing disastrous happened.”
»
A young Dickie Bannenberg with 26 KD
33 « 26 KD before restorative work
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Having joined the studio after 15 years in magazine
publishing, Dickie Bannenberg wanted to reunite his
father with his first Aston in time for his 70th birthday.
By chance, the car had turned up in North America,
still right-hand drive but painted California Sage and
requiring “all funds in the piggy bank…” to bring it back
to the UK. In conditions of great secrecy the DB4 was
resprayed its original colour Black Pearl and once again
bore the registration ‘26 KD’.
The presentation was made to his father at Chiswick
House in 1999 when his father turned 70. “Dad was
amazed – it was an emotional day,” said Dickie.
Bannenberg senior sadly passed away in 2002, and it
took until 2014 before Dickie decided to do justice to
the car that has played such a significant part in the
family’s life. Working with Nicholas Mee & Co, paint
and bodywork apart, Dickie decided to totally restore
the car. Work started in December 2014, with the
engine completely rebuilt as a 4.2-litre. It was decided
to keep the twin-SU set-up for reasons of originality
and driveability, but with so many new parts and an
extra 500cc the rebuild has made the straight-six a very
strong performer.
All other work was carried out by the team at
Brackenbury Garage, with a gearbox overhaul that
brought the essential overdrive back to life, new wiring
and a complete re-trim in original-specification Connolly
Terracotta leather.
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26 KD’s engine block. Re-engineered to 4.2-litre lead-free specification
Corrosion to the spare wheel well identified
Suspension dampers and springs, before and after!
Chassis stripped ready for inspection for corrosion
Various components after powder coating
Various interior items removed ready for refurbishment
‘Dynamat’ sounds and heat insulation material being fitted throughout cabin
and bulkhead
“That was interesting,” said Dickie, “Dad had worked
with Connolly on the QE2 in 1968, and of course we were
used to Wilton carpets. I spoke with Jonathan Connolly
who runs the business now to make sure we had exactly
the right type of leather.”
Neal Garrard added, “The work was extensive but
straightforward. The chassis had little corrosion, we did
not need to touch the sills and once we’d freed up the
various vents and flaps the airflow in and out of the car
was transformed.
Dickie had said he wanted to maintain the originality
and we kept to that, with just a small concession made
to Dickie’s love of music: we added a powerful modern
hi-fi and speaker system behind an old radio fascia.”
“The clock had been frozen in time since the 1960s,”
remarked Dickie, “and even that’s working now!”
The finished car was presented on time to Dickie and
his family at Salon Privé this September. Kept under a
dustsheet with music playing from the hidden hi-fi, it
was another emotional reunion when Neal dramatically
lifted the covers and ‘26 KD’ was revealed in all its glory,
better than new.
“I can’t imagine any circumstances where I would sell it,”
said Dickie, who uses the DB4 most weekends, and one
of his first trips post-restoration was to the Goodwood
Revival. “Our grown-up children are a bit old to go in
the back now, but we get our Cocker Spaniel in there,”
he added.
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“The engine is plenty powerful enough, and with the
overdrive working it’s an effortless car for longer
journeys. We are very pleased.”
And ’26 KD’ has recently been used in CGI to promote
British company Cloudmaster’s restored vintage
Douglas DC-6 – with an interior by Bannenberg &
Rowell Design, who continue to be pre-eminent in their
field under the careful direction of Dickie and Creative
Director Simon Rowell.
So, the Bannenberg DB4 story continues: truly a family
affair, and to borrow an Aston advertising strapline of
recent years, most certainly a Car for Life.
—
We can’t recommend highly enough the large-format book
‘Jon Bannenberg: A Life in Design’ that Dickie Bannenberg
has published after spending five years collating and
reviewing the studio archives. It is a definitive review of his
father’s design life, and includes drawings, sketches, photos
and letters, giving an unparalleled insight into the man who
epitomised style for four decades.
See: http://www.bannenbergandrowell.com/book
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Market
Review
2015
The enduring attraction of the
‘analogue car’ fuels demand for
powerful classic Astons.
It’s been a year since the NM&Co team last took time out
to discuss Aston Martin values in FullBore. Then, it was
reflection on the steep rise in prices of Newport Pagnell
‘DBs’, and whether this trend would continue. Plus, of
course, a glimpse into the future, when models such as
limited-edition DB7 Vantages and Zagatos were tipped
for the top.
So, how has 2015 worked out?
“There’s no denying that transactions of cars at the very
top end have levelled off, unless it’s something very rare
and special” said Nick. “The demand is there, and the
figures are holding, but the values are at a point where
the number of potential buyers is more restricted, by
the sheer amount of money needed.
“A DB5 in particular is serious money and with the
current economic backdrop and the very limited
numbers of cars built, across the DB4-5-6 range they will
always be expensive. The cost of entry has got that little
bit higher and the market has reacted.”
So the way the market works is changing a little at the
top, with new buyers coming in, and not always from the
established ‘enthusiast’ route of long-term ownership
of a classic. Neal explains: “We are finding that new
supercars are seen as just too fast to use on a regular
basis, with electronic everything taking away the joy of
driving. And a big loss come trade-in time.
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“For those interested in recapturing the thrill and
adventure of driving, a classic Aston Martin is still a
quick car, but more to the point it really feels fast. And it
has that ‘I’ve got to have and drive one’ appeal.”
Which is time for Nick to talk about the enduring appeal
of ‘analogue cars’, those designed and built in the days
when the engineer and designer were king: Aston
Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati made exotic
motor cars in an era before Federal safety laws and
emissions regulations stifled creativity.
“They built the ones they wanted to build, each with
its own personality,” said Nick. “Those cars were the
ultimate expression of the manufacturers’ art, pre
legislation cars all simply gorgeous to look at and exciting
to drive. That does not happen today, although if you go
back only a few years you can see that ‘personality’, if
you like, coming through.
“I’m thinking of the limited-edition DB7 Vantages, the
GTs and of course the Zagato.”
“The word is certainly out on these,” chips in Ed, “It’s
hard to find a good ’7 Vantage, and I’d say with £35k cars
12 months ago now trading nearer £40k, it’s a 10 – 15%
increase over the year. A potential scenario we spoke
about 12 months ago.
“Buyers like the ‘classic’ appeal of an older car with the
conveniences of a new one. ABS, climate control etc.
Nothing demonstrates that better than the DB7 Zagato:
limited numbers [99], overt coachwork by a renowned
Italian styling House with long connections to Aston
and stunning performance. Prices for these are at
record levels.”
And looking at even more recent Astons, there’s the
V12-powered DBS, but Neal prefaces this subject with
some words on the original classic Vanquish:
“Owners love them. They look stylish, are modern and
are practical, yet are still 200mph cars. Prices are all over
the place because buyers want really good ones – and
will pay for that reassurance. It’s a 10-to-15-year-old car,
so always buy the best.
“The V12 DBS is interesting too as the values of these
overlap with some Vanquishes. It’s an ‘007’s car’ and
people want them in Bond colours, they’ve terrific road
presence and big performance. They only produced
around 3500, it’s well made and one of the last of the
manual V12 Astons That’s the one that to have, it’s
stunning to look at and a quick old car.”
Speaking of which… demand for the 1980s V8 Vantage is
as strong as ever. “Yes, as we predicted, and we’ve also
seen good V8 saloons and Volantes gain in value as a
result of this. The fact that 1960s DBs are now at such
heights, helps” said Nick.
“We are often asked about ‘originality’, and perhaps this
is a good time to say a few words on the subject. There
is a definite point around the time of the last boom in
prices, the mid-1980s, when V8s were bought to keep.
They were better made, buyers had paid a lot for them,
prices were strong and car collecting as a hobby that
made money had arrived. So, it was in the owner’s
interest to look after them well. Those cars today are
mostly original in content as they were never run on
a shoestring, they were powerful with good brakes,
working a/c and all the rest, in other words ticking all
the ‘buy’ boxes.
“Values of earlier V8s have increased to the point that it’s
now economic to restore some of the first cars. Which is
great, as they make exciting, practical and comfortable
classics, in the great tradition of Newport Pagnell
Astons. But buyers should not get hung up too much
about originality, They should want a car that’s great to
drive and look at, a proper ‘chrome bumper’ Aston.”
Warming to the subject, Nick continues: “And if one
were to ask our tech team, about ‘matching numbers’,
original colours and original interiors on the straightsixes,
without exception they’d say condition was far
more important, if enjoying the car is primary.
»
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TOP OF THE POPS
To assist us (and our readers) further in gauging what Aston Martin models are ‘hot’, we
have poured over our online data to analyse which cars offered for sale in 2015 have
been most popular. The results were most interesting:
our most VIEWED youtube videos
“You think back to when road cars were raced at Brands
or Silverstone in the 70s and 80s. The engine blocks were
almost throwaway, with gearboxes coming from then
valueless DBS 6s. Today, I’d like to see a car that’s had
a rigorous inspection by one of the experts and in the
best possible mechanical condition – you can’t compare
what’s happened with classic Astons over the years with
other marques, Ferrari in particular. The market has to
have a sense of proportion. And the Club racing history
of some cars is terrific, it shows they were being used.”
the late-1960s DBS 6 and AM Vantage of the early 70s
were the most affordable classic Astons.
“Try buying a good DBs now for less than £150k! But
you can have the world’s best Virage for two thirds of
that. First of the impact bumper Astons, built in small
numbers, an attractive Volante, big Newport Pagnell
hand-built V8, easy and reliable automatic (with some
manuals), mod cons such as a/c and electric seats – they
are certainly undervalued.
1679 VIEWs
Ex Elton John Royal
Cherry V8 Vantage
1491 VIEWs
‘Street Racer’ DB5
1052 VIEWs
Series 4 Lagonda
Most popular cars in 2015 by volume of enquiries
While Feltham-era models have still to capture the
market’s imagination, ‘DBs’ are at the top and good V8
saloons and Volantes around the £200k mark – more
modern cars excepted – what’s happening at £100k?
“For those wishing to dip a toe in the water, there are still
cars to be had, but we can’t emphasise strongly enough
the difference between examples that are restored and
‘on the button’ cars, with ones ‘only just OK’. For years,
“I’d say the same for the supercharged cars, but they are
obviously priced on a different level. All of these cars
are powerful machines that reward good driving and
were created before today’s era of electronic controls
and governance.
“Real ‘analogue’ Astons. Like DB5s, they don’t make
them anymore and never will, value-wise look what’s
happened to them.”
1 2 3
DB4 Series 1 Prince of Wales
V8 Volante
LHD V8 Vantage X-Pack
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2015
Junior Racer
Vero and Carbon
Mugs x4
Aston Martin
Sunglasses
Christmas Gift
Gold Bundle
V12 Vantage
memory stick
Pencil
and Pen set
BUY ONLINE • £19,950.00
BUY ONLINE • £110.00
BUY ONLINE • £469.00
BUY ONLINE • £149.50
BUY ONLINE • £25.00
BUY ONLINE • £45.00
Hand-built and lovingly crafted, these
beautifully made petrol-powered cars are
suitable for children aged 10 years or
over and adults.
Set of 4 fine bone china mugs in
Aston Martin presentation box.
Brand new and exclusive to our online
store, we’re delighted to offer the range of
superb Officially Licensed Aston
Martin sunglasses.
Bundle includes:
Aston Martin Mug,
Aston Martin Baseball Cap,
Aston Martin Cufflinks,
Aston Martin Key Ring.
Packed in a quality black presentation box with
gift wrapping.
Aston Martin V12 Vantage 4GB memory stick,
available in choice of three colours - red,
silver and white.
Carbon fibre ballpoint pen and pencil set with
gunmetal fittings. Aston Martin logo laser
engraved on clip.
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ASTON MARTIN
RACING polo shirt
Aston Martin
Keyring
DBS
Wireless Mouse
ASTON MARTIN
RACING Team Jacket
Rose-Gold Plated
and Ceramic Aston
Martin Cufflinks
#5
Leather Holdall
buy online • £49.95
BUY ONLINE • £49.95
BUY ONLINE • £36.50
buy online • £149.95
BUY ONLINE • £230.00
BUY ONLINE • £460.00
100% cotton poloshirt. 2 button placket.
Aston Martin Racing logo printed to chest
and back. Badges on both sleeves.
Aston Martin keyring features a rhodium
plated and enamelled logo mounted on to
the finest, hand stitched English leather hide.
Officially licensed Aston Martin DBS Car
Wireless Optical Mouse available in four
different colours complete with 2.4 GHz plug
& play USB Nano receiver and incorporating
BlueEye technology.
Sporty fit Replica Team Jacket features
printed logos, adjustable cuffs with popper
fastening, Gulf colourway full zip and the
hood can be folded away into the collar area.
Stainless steel, rose-gold plated & ceramic.
The Aston Martin Inspired #5 Monza holdall
is hand-made in Tuscany using the very finest
vegetable-tanned through-dyed
Italian leather.
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London
Classic Car
Show 2016
Following the success of the inaugural London Classic Car Show at
London’s Excel Centre in January, where Nicholas Mee & Co was
present with a prominent, seven-car stand, we are delighted to confirm
the dates of the 2016 show – 18-21 February – and that tickets are now
on sale.
Over 25,000 visitors – double the number anticipated – enjoyed the
live event, admiring the many sensational cars on display in carefully
curated collections and on the stands of the cream of the UK classic
car scene.
This year’s show was widely acclaimed as a great success, and Nicholas
Mee & Co concluded over £1m of car sales during its three days.
The 2016 event promises to be even better, the organisers having
confirmed a fifty per cent increase in floor-space, and new features and
exhibitors. Put a note in your diary to reserve 18-21 February for the
London Classic Car Show, an event where we are delighted to say that
once again NM&Co will be exhibitors.
We’ll have another stunning seven-car stand, and as ever are looking
to include the very best examples of the marque. If you are refining
your garage, why not give one of the showroom team a call to discuss
consigning a vehicle?
Play video of last years show
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Nicholas Mee & Co is delighted to partner with renowned classic and prestige storage experts, Windrush Car
Storage. Based on the success of their existing operation in the Cotswolds, the team at Windrush has set
out to solve the dilemma facing many enthusiasts in Central London: where to park or store their cars!
With a single-minded approach to delivering, whatever it takes, the best car storage and
management solution in the world, Windrush is now able to offer a fully managed
service in a Central London location only five minutes from our showrooms.
Focusing on highly personal, dedicated service, an excellent environment
and ultra-flexible access, we believe Windrush has cracked it, and have
no hesitation in recommending them to our clients.
For a discrete and professional conversation
about your requirements, please contact Tim
Earnshaw on 0207 458 4418 or email:
tim@windrushcarstorage. co.uk
Please mention Nicholas Mee
& Co to take advantage of
a special introductory
rate.
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www.windrushcarstorage.co.uk

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