The celebrated ex-Jim Clark Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato ‘2 VEV’ sold for £10 million at Bonhams FOS auction today (13 July). The famous car, billed as the most valuable British car ever to be offered at a European auction, was being offered for public sale for the first time in 47 years. It last changed hands in 1971…for £3600!
£10m Aston Martin tops Bonhams FOS sale
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An Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bentley, Bugatti and another Aston joined the DB4GT Zagato in a group of big-ticket cars to sell at the Bonhams sale, the six cars together raising almost £25 million. With other notable sales on the day, the auction is being acclaimed as one of the most spectacular in FOS history.
Runner-up to 2 VEV in the value stakes was the 1932 ex-Dick Shuttleworth Alfa Romeo Tipo B Grand Prix Monoposto, which sold for £4,593,500 including the premium.
The BMW 507 owned from new by the late World Champion John Surtees sold for £3.8 million including the premium, getting on for double its presale estimate. Meanwhile coming in at just over £2m apiece were a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport and a 1931 Bentley 4½-litre supercharged tourer.
Making just under £2m, at £1,961,500, was the 1965 DB5 as used by Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in the 007 movie, Goldeneye. It may not have all the gadgets of that other DB5, but this Bond original still made almost half a million over its guide price.
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The 10 million pound Aston is known to enthusiasts around the world by its numberplate 2 VEV after an illustrious racing career in period when it was renowned as Britain’s Ferrari 250 GTO beater. Run by the Aston-backed Essex Racing Stable it was one of only three (of the 19 DB4GT Zs made) to be configured in ultra-light DP209 specification.
It competed against its great Italian foe throughout the 1961 and ’62 GT world championship seasons with drivers including Jim Clark. It was a regular at Le Mans, Nurburgring and also Goodwood where it famously crashed into a 250 GTO driven by John Surtees.
2 VEV went to its new home for £10,081,500 including the premium. It is not the most expensive Aston; that remains DBR1 chassis number one which sold in 2017 for £16.9m.
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John Surtees’ BMW 507 sold for £3,809,500 including the premium, against a guide of £2-2.2m.
The V8 roadster was a present to John from MV Agusta after he clinched his first 500cc World Motorcycle Championship in 1956. The story is that John had seen a 507 in Germany and fallen for its elegant lines. But because the car was so expensive – more than £3000 – the newly crowned 500cc champion and MV Agusta went halves on buying it. John kept the car right up to his death in 2017, despite the disapproval of Enzo Ferrari who insisted he drive one of his cars when John drove for the Ferrari team.
A car with local connections to sell was a 1936 AC March Special, a car designed by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon’s grandfather, Freddie March. It sold for £107,900.
Among a wealth of automobilia, a Herbert Johnson race helmet used by Mike Hawthorn sold for £21,250 while two other helmets – used by Fangio and Senna – failed to sell.