Buyers from around the world were all bidding at Bonhams 10th Anniversary auction of distinguished motor cars at the Aston Martin Works Service facility in Newport Pagnell on Saturday May 9 with the result being £2,975,357.
A delighted James Knight, International MD for Collectors Cars at Bonhams who took the sale said afterwards: “This is our fourth sale this year, all of which produced stunning results. The reason is simple, we have sellers who want to turn cars into cash and buyers who want to turn cash into cars.”
Knight added: “Vendors acknowledge the market is buoyant and have realistic expectations, enabling us to present cars at fair market levels that attract the kind of demand we have seen here today.”
Top selling car on the day was lot 340, a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 4.2 litre saloon which was estimated to sell for £150,000 to £180,000 but made £249,000. This car was one that Bonhams sold previously at its inaugural Aston Martin Works sale back in 2000 when it achieved a fair £60,000. It was then given to Work Service’s Heritage team for a comprehensive restoration to their exacting standards. On Saturday it proved to be the center of attention and, after a prolonged bidding battle, sold for £249,000.
Over the past decade Bonhams has sold over £20 million worth of Aston Martins and related automobilia often at record breaking levels, making the company the worldwide leader in this sector.
This auction is dedicated uniquely to the Aston Martin and Lagonda marque and marks a very special point in the calendar for motoring enthusiasts. The Newport Pagnell sale attracts the most fervent Aston Martin collectors from across the UK and Europe many of whom bring their own Aston Martin cars with them.
Runner up at the sale was lot 339, a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 convertible that sold for £241,300 
against a pre-sale estimate of £220,000 to £250,000. Perhaps the most surprising result was the ‘barn find’ 1963 Aston Martin DB5 Series V saloon that sold for a massive £85,000 – against an estimate of £20,000 – 30,000. Six absentee and seven telephone bidders competed against a bidder in the room to secure the car.
James Knight says: After a decade of Aston Martin and Lagonda sales at Newport Pagnell, the event has established itself on the classic car auction calendar. It provides an unequalled setting for all who love fine engineering and beautiful cars. The Aston Martin magic just continues to grow.”
Kingsley Riding-Felce, Director of Works Service & Parts Operations for Aston Martin said: “We are delighted to have once again hosted Bonhams international auction here at Works Service. That it’s a success in its 10th year is a testament to the enduring strength of Aston Martin’s brand, the strong performance of the classic car market and the company’s belief in maintaining a unique relationship with our owners and enthusiasts. Many Aston Martin enthusiasts take advantage of this annual event to return to the heritage home of Aston Martin.”
He added that the sale had attracted record numbers of people of which no fewer than 130 – another record – had purchased the Premier Client Package for £155 which includes parking, a reserved seat, champagne, a catalogue and lunch on the day.
[Source: Bonhams]
