Beschreibung:

1958 Aston Martin DB MkIII Saloon Chassis no. AM300/3/1304 Engine no. DBA/956• One of only 551 DB MkIIIs made • Delivered new to Los Angeles, California, USA • Present ownership since 2007 • Matching numbers chassis and engine Footnotes"The latest models – the DB Mk IIIs – have a number of important improvements and, in addition, a subtle crispness and refinement, as compared with the DB2/4, not easily attributed to any one modification." – The Autocar, 4th October 1957. Two years after the introduction of the DB2/4 Mark II came the DB Mark III, 551 of which, mainly saloons, were made between March 1957 and July 1959. According to the factory's advertising, the DB Mark III afforded: "All the exhilaration that a really fast car can offer – elegance to satisfy the connoisseur – performance that is literally breathtaking – these are the elements which set the Aston Martin DB Mark III in a class apart." All of which pretty much sums up the appeal of every Aston Martin before or since. Externally the most obvious change was the adoption of a DB3S-style grille, establishing the 'hallmark' look of subsequent Aston Martins. This restyled nose give the car a more imposing look, while the interior boasted a redesigned dashboard with instruments grouped in a cowled panel ahead of the driver. The 3.0-litre engine benefited from an extensive redesign by Tadek Marek and featured, among other improvements, a stiffer block, stronger crankshaft, and a new cylinder head with bigger valves. The DB Mark III was faster than any of its predecessors with a top speed of 120mph (193km/h) and is also notable as the first Aston Martin to feature in one of Ian Fleming's 'James Bond' novels, being driven by '007' in Goldfinger. And it was also the last Aston Martin produced with the W O Bentley-era six-cylinder engine. Its accompanying copy guarantee form reveals that left-hand drive chassis number '1304' was delivered to its first owner, one William Robert Plunkett of Los Angeles, California, on 5th July 1958. The car left the Newport Pagnell factory finished in Peony with brown Connolly hide interior trim. Only two subsequent owners are listed, both in France. The current owner purchased the DB MkIII from dealer Michael Olu Brinkert on 19th June 2007. A copy of the purchase invoice is on file and the car also comes with copies of its former Belgian registration document and AMOC Register pages. Kept in storage since acquisition, the Aston will require re-commissioning before returning to the road. Please note that if this vehicle is to be imported into Switzerland, Swiss Customs charges (Duty, Car Tax and VAT) will apply at roughly 12.5% of the Purchase Price. Included in this is the Swiss Duty which is calculated on the weight of the vehicle and shall be CHF 15 per 100 kg. Also included is Swiss Car Tax at 4% and this is calculated on the total Purchase Price (Hammer + Buyers Premium). Swiss VAT will then be applicable on the aggregated amount of the Hammer Price, Buyer's Premium, Swiss Duty and Swiss Car Tax at a rate of 7.7%. Please note that customs rates to other countries shall vary. This vehicle will not be available for immediate collection after the sale and will only be released on completion of customs clearance. If you have any questions regarding customs clearance, please contact the Bonhams Motorcar Department or our recommended shippers.