1955 Aston Martin DB2-4 Mk I

Chassis No. LML/812
Engine No. VB6J/292

Before Aston Martin would gain its world-renowned reputation as a builder of refined, elegant 2+2 grand tourers with the Touring-designed DB cars of the 1960s, there were the Feltham cars, so-called for their production in Feltham, England. Incorporated by David Brown in 1947 after purchasing Aston Martin and the bankrupt Lagonda factory at Hanworth Park, the firm began production of the “DB” series of cars, with the DB2 as the company's first post-war production road car. The DB2/4 followed in 1953, introducing two rear seats that could be folded down for additional luggage space, a raised roofline for rear passengers, and a rear “hatchback” liftgate in fixed-head Sports Saloon form. DB2/4s remain highly coveted today as rare and capable grand tourers that paved the way for the later Touring-designed DB cars.

A copy of its original build sheet shows that this left-hand-drive example, chassis number 812, was originally delivered on 25 March 1955 to J.G. de Thouars, a resident of the Netherlands Embassy in Madrid, Spain. Leaving the factory in Blue Haze paintwork with matching Blue Connolly leather hides, the build sheet also notes that the car was originally specified with dual Lucas fog lamps, a passenger seat safety belt, luggage straps, and a metric speedometer. The Aston's history resumes in 1990, when according to the AMOC Register, it competed in the Mille Miglia Storica, competing again in 1991 where it finished 36th driven by Castella/Vigevana.

In 2002, the car is understood to have been restored to its current white over black leather finishes with an engine restoration by Italian specialists following in 2012. In more recent times, the DB2/4 has visited Garageum GmbH in Melle, Germany on numerous occasions from 2020-2023 for further sorting, including an oil change, new spark plugs, and TÜV inspection in October 2023. Now offered with a German title and a copy of its build sheet, this rare and exciting early Aston Martin grand tourer is highly eligible for myriad historic tours and rallies including the Mille Miglia.