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Star car sets world record at Aston Martin auction

16 June, 2014

 


Recently we told you about Roger Moore’s The Persuaders! Aston Martin going up for auction. Well, that very car has set a world record for a DBS sold at auction selling for £533,500 (approx. NZ$1,050,000).

It’s the 15th year of Bonhams’ annual auction and the Bonhams Aston Martin Works sale totalled £8.7 million (more than NZ$17 million). Over 100 lots of collectible automobilia were sold, alongside 50 vehicles which was the largest number Bonhams have ever had at the Aston Martin sale.

The world-record-setting 1970 Aston Martin DBS starred in the British television series The Persuaders! where it featured prominently in all of the show’s 24 episodes. During the auction it held pride of place at the front of the auction hall and attracted huge amounts of interest from fans of the television series as well as Aston Martin enthusiasts. The car itself was specially modified for its role in the show making itself known as the ‘third star’ behind co-stars Roger Moore and Tony Curtis.

One unexpected high-earner was the factory Vantage prototype ‘DP217’ 1963 Aston Martin DB5 project. It sold for four times its highest estimate with the gavel coming down on £393,500 (approx. NZ$775,000) and being received by plenty of applause from the room.

Bonhams Group Motoring Director James Knight said: “The sale has been one of surprise and delight. From selling a DB5 Sports Saloon project at four times its estimate, to setting world records with ‘star’ car, The Persuaders! Aston Martin DBS.

“As ever, in its 15th year the Aston Martin Works sale has been truly tremendous. After 15 years of running this sale we still continue to enjoy our very special partnership with Aston Martin, working collectively to deliver the right results for the brand and our clients.”

General Sales Manager at Aston Martin Works, Paul Spires, said: “The Bonhams auction weekend has once again more than lived up to expectations. The uniquely sociable ‘garden party’ atmosphere certainly seems to have helped some of the 2500 or so people who joined us here at Newport Pagnell take the plunge. With many exceptional sports cars sold, and bids coming in from right around the world, it’s clear that Bonhams’ Aston Martin Sale is, more than ever, a key fixture of the classic car world.”

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

18 October, 2026

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”

Classics on the green

16 October, 2026

Many pretenders vie for the title, but the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance gets my vote as the biggest thing since sliced bread.
The 71st edition of the world’s pre-eminent and best-known concours event featured 28 classes, judged by a 180-strong jury, which also chose the recipients of 26 special awards.
The size of the event, the number of visitors, and, most mind-numbingly, the sheer number of amazing cars, is almost overwhelming. There are so many quality cars to gaze upon, and so many people gazing at those cars, that it is almost impossible to cover everything.
Notable among the many attractions were the centenary celebrations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an elegant Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Hermann Graber’s Swiss-bodied cabriolets and coupés, the jewels of Otto Vu Italian V8s, early Alfa Romeos, Lincoln and its centenary, and cars with unorthodox propulsion systems.