Scheduled for auction at RM Sotheby’s in September 26 with an estimated value of $1,000,000–$1,150,000, this 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage represents an exceptionally rare and comprehensively restored example of one of Britain’s most celebrated grand tourers.
Only 60 closed DB5s were originally equipped with Aston Martin’s Vantage engine, and just 21 of those were built in left-hand drive. This car, chassis 2228/L, is therefore distinguished by an unusually scarce factory specification. Delivered new to Hamburg, Germany, it was sold to Captain Panos A. Tsagaris and configured for the European market in its original Silver Birch exterior with Dark Blue Connolly Vaumol leather.
The DB5’s legendary status stems from its combination of elegant Touring Superleggera-influenced coachwork, sophisticated chassis engineering, and a race-developed 4.0-liter inline-six. Introduced in 1964, the Vantage specification elevated performance through revised camshaft profiles and triple Weber carburetors, increasing output to approximately 325 horsepower—43 hp more than the standard engine. The additional power improved both acceleration and top-end performance, giving the DB5 Vantage genuine sporting credentials beneath its refined grand-touring character.
Factory records indicate that chassis 2228/L received its guarantee in August 1965 and was equipped with desirable features including a five-speed manual transmission, Marchal fog lamps, triple-eared chrome wheels, Avon Turbospeed GT tires, Normalair air conditioning, a Blaupunkt Köln TR radio with powered aerial, and Fiamm horns.
After its early factory servicing, the car’s history becomes less clearly documented until the 1980s, when it entered Swiss ownership. A subsequent owner commissioned an extensive restoration by Roos Engineering between 1999 and 2006, during which the car was refinished in midnight blue with a beige interior. Its original engine had also been replaced by a correct DB5 unit that was restamped with the original engine number.
In 2017, the current consignor acquired the DB5 and embarked on a mission to return it to factory-correct specification. Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell subsequently carried out a comprehensive, three-year restoration costing more than £400,000. Completed in June 2021, the work encompassed the car’s mechanical systems and returned its exterior and interior to the original Silver Birch and Dark Blue combination. The rebuilt engine was restored to Vantage specification with Weber 45 DCOE/1 carburetors. Aston Martin also supplied an unused continuation Vantage engine, which accompanies the sale as a spare.
Supported by extensive restoration documentation, factory records, heritage certification, invoices, photographs, and colour-matched luggage, this DB5 Vantage offers exceptional rarity, provenance, and authenticity. It stands as both a highly desirable collector’s automobile and a grand tourer capable of delivering the driving experience that made the DB5 an enduring automotive icon.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
