Aston Martin has produced tons of beautiful automobiles over its 110-year lifespan, however lots of the coolest Astons have been truly designed by coachbuilders like Bertone, Ghia, Vignale and Zagato. At RM Sotheby’s upcoming Luxury Week sale in New York City, the public sale home is providing up one of many rarest and most stunning Aston Martins of all time: a 1954 Bertone DB2/4 Coupe.
Indiana businessman Stanley H. “Wacky” Arnolt II is to thank for the existence of this automotive. In 1952 he commissioned Italian design home Bertone (considered one of my private favorites) to construct a sequence of automobiles based mostly on the MG TD that might be bought by way of his Chicago showroom – along with his title connected, in fact. These Arnolt-MGs have been adopted by Bertone variations of Alfa Romeos, Bristols and Bentleys, in addition to seven Aston Martins.
Each one of many Bertone-designed Arnolt-Aston Martins have been distinctive, however this DB2/4, chassis quantity LML/765, is the one coupe. It was possible commissioned for Henri Pigozzi, the founding father of Simca, who took supply in Paris in 1955. The automotive had a couple of options taken from Simca automobiles – the taillights, as an example – nevertheless it’s nonetheless recognizable as each an Aston Martin and as a Bertone.
LML/765 is much extra dramatic than a daily DB2/4, eschewing these automobiles’ bulbous rooflines for a sharply raked greenhouse with a wraparound rear window, a Bertone signature. It has crisp creases atop the fenders, and the rear wheel arch partially covers the highest of the tire. I really like the refined tailfins on the rear, and the skinny, large grille that retains Aston’s trademark form and is echoed by the contours of the entrance bumper. Other cool particulars embrace the chrome spear on the hood and the trunklid’s lip that protrudes over the rear panel, and I simply adore the metallic teal paint.
Bertone labored its magic on the inside, too. The easy dashboard has shades of Mercedes 300SL, with outstanding gauge pod and a skinny metallic accent panel operating the size of the sprint that’s punctuated by a handful of switches and an Aston Martin badge. In distinction to the physique coloration bits on the sprint and doorways, the seats and door panels are coated in pretty beige leather-based with cream accents, and the entire carpeting is matching beige. This is strictly a two-seater, with a parcel shelf behind the entrance seats.
![Interior view of a teal Aston Martin DB2/4 by Bertone](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/a1285bac12bef79e013f47f7cd895121.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
Apparently, LML/765 was meant to kick off a run of different Bertone-bodied coupes, however Aston Martin refused to provide Bertone extra chassis to make use of. Bertone displayed the automotive on the Turin Motor Show in 1957 and 1958, first painted in white after which in blue. The coachbuilding home additionally borrowed it again from its proprietor within the hopes of adjusting Aston’s thoughts and convincing the British model to let Bertone develop the DB4, however that contract went to Touring as an alternative.
The automotive got here to the U.S. in 1976 and handed by way of the arms of some homeowners. One proprietor in Illinois gave LML/765 a beauty restoration, then beneath the eleven-year possession of it by the Blackhawk Collection that started in 1987 it was subjected to a no-expense-spared mechanical restoration. The present proprietor bought the automotive in 2019, and it underwent a full Concours-level restoration to the tune of $800,000, bringing it again to its unique blue paint coloration.
![Side view of a teal Aston Martin DB2/4 by Bertone](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/9f808d8e56dc707613507bdd5fe57742.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
Traces of the unique paint have been discovered under the headlight bezels and within the trunk, and to repair modifications that have been made over time, the automotive was additionally fitted with the right bumpers, taillights, hood trim, and inside {hardware} – all of which needed to be newly fabricated. The unique engine remains to be fitted, and it was rebuilt to higher-output specs with upgraded camshafts, compression, oil system and valves. The completed automotive made its debut on the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the place it gained first in its class.
The RM sale is occurring this Friday, December 8, and the public sale home has given the Bertone DB2/4 an estimate of $1.2 million to $1.6 million. It comes with a file stuffed with restoration images and paperwork, plus different essential bits of historic data. LML/765 has already been invited to compete on the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in May 2024, so the brand new proprietor can hit the bottom operating and luxuriate in this excellent machine.
![Front grille of a teal Aston Martin DB2/4 by Bertone](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/4868d74c330c5e59892886548debfd82.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Rear window of a teal Aston Martin DB2/4 by Bertone](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/34661d9c134aaf6ee5abbe5fc6504b2f.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Taillights of a teal Aston Martin DB2/4 by Bertone](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/28b64a70944a5a7288da72bbc9af14b4.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
![Engine bay of a teal Aston Martin DB2/4 by Bertone](https://i0.wp.com/i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/e7308037be62757fec945c465bd452ed.jpg?w=788&ssl=1)
Source: jalopnik.com