Gallery Aaldering is offering this Aston Martin DB AR1 Zagato for sale.
Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, in 2001 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Sitting at your table is Andrea Zagato, the son of Elia Zagato. It is not possible to determine exactly what was discussed at the table, but two things were abundantly clear:
1. Bez had been instructed by the former parent group Ford to bring Aston Martin back to the attention and 2: The American customers would most likely not be happy that the upcoming DB7 Zagato would pass them by because of too high costs for the type approval. But there you are, on perhaps the most beautiful lawn in the world, surrounded by fantastic people and the most beautiful cars. Then of course you don’t sit and think in terms of problems, you start philosophizing about a solution while enjoying a good glass of wine.
The two gentlemen thought it would be a good idea to design a real old-fashioned Roadster based on the DB7 Volante, exclusively for the American market. This had two huge advantages. Aston Martin was able to offer its most loyal customers in the United States an exclusive car and because the car was to be built on the basis of an existing DB7 Volante, there were also no problems with type approval.
The car that resulted from the talks between the two gentlemen eventually became the Aston Martin DB AR1. In this case, “AR” stands for American Roadster. Some of Aston Martin’s most loyal customers were given the chance to view the car when the car was still just sketches and a rough prototype.
The response was so good that Aston Martin and Zagato decided to build the DB AR1 in an extremely limited edition of 99 units. The car was presented to the public at the 2002 Los Angeles Auto Show. The car was received very positively, although that didn’t matter much because the entire edition of 99 units had already been sold to the very best customers of Aston Martin in the United States.
The car is intended as a pure roadster, an open two-seater without a roof, a tonneau cover is present to stretch over the seats. The Aston Martin DB AR1 was not only a limited series but also the top model. Things like climate control, navigation, cruise control and beautiful leather upholstery were all standard. This is a very well maintained DB AR1 in a beautiful color scheme. The car has a light green metallic paint with a beige leather interior.
The top model must of course also be powered by the top engine: a 6.0 V12 engine that is linked to a six-speed manual transmission. Extra rare because most of the 99 copies were equipped with an automatic gearbox. It is not only a pleasure to look at this car, it is also a pleasure to drive. The DB AR1 goes from 0-100 in 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour. The top speed made the DB AR1 the fastest real roadster in the world at that time.
The car is both options and technically in new condition. The body is beautiful with tight sheet metal and correct panel fittings. The car is painted in Aston Martin’s own ‘British Racing Green’ variant, the paint is of course in ‘like new’ condition and gives the car a timeless look. The car stands on beautiful 5-spoke 19 inch wheels with tires in the right sizes.
The interior is as striking as it is beautiful. You will search in vain for a rear seat, the ‘American Roadster’ is a real two-seater. The place where the back seat is in the regular DB7 is now used as extra luggage space. The counters, the “all natural tan” leather, it’s all very well cared for and looks fantastic.
The technology is also perfect for each other. The car has driven approximately 7,600 kilometers (4,777 miles) and is perfectly maintained. Also present are the specially available leather jacket in matching colours, a tonneau to protect the interior against raindrops and a cover for storing the car indoors.
In short, a unique opportunity to acquire a very rare Aston Martin. According to experts, this is one of the most desirable Aston Martin collectibles in the history of the brand. Whether you want to add the car to your collection or are just starting to build a collection, this DB AR1 is in all cases a top piece.
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