2003 Aston Martin DBAR1 by Zagato

2003 Aston Martin DBAR1 by Zagato
Sold for $269,500 Including Commission
RM Sotheby's Auction, Monterey, CA. 2014
Chassis no. SCFAE623X3K800038
Engine no. 00433
Production no. 038/099
435 bhp, 5,935 cc V-12 engine with four overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, six-speed manual transmission with twin-plate racing clutch, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel Brembo disc brakes. Wheelbase: 102 in.
•Formerly of the Bob Pond Collection
•Just over 600 miles from new
•The 38th of 99 produced
•Finished in the same colors as the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show car
The decade of the 1990s was an interesting time for Aston Martin. The once profitable, highly fashionable British marque struggled early on, selling only a few dozen automobiles per year. In 1994, it was acquired by Ford, which immediately invested in a new factory in Bloxham to build the all-new DB7. The following year, Aston Martin returned to prosperity by building a record 700 vehicles, and by 2002, the 6,000th DB7 had rolled off the line, eclipsing total production for all previous DB models combined. Aston Martin was back and in better shape than ever.
To celebrate the end of the DB7 production, Aston Martin teamed up with Zagato to create a new car that would recall the vaunted DB4 GT Zagato. The car that resulted, the DBAR1, was introduced at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show to great acclaim. Aston Martin also produced DB7 Zagato Coupes, but those were only made available to European and Asian markets. The topless DBAR1, by contrast, was only available for purchase in the North American market, hence the “American Roadster” designation. With Aston Martin’s 48-valve, 6.0-liter V-12 engine under the hood, this Aston’s performance certainly lived up to its looks. With its engine producing 435 horsepower, the DBAR1 can boast a top speed of 185 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds.
This 2003 DBAR1 was purchased as an untitled car with just delivery mileage by Bob Pond in 2005, and it was used by him sparingly as a warm-weather driver in his collection for trips around town. As a result, the odometer shows just over 600 miles. It is finished in Roadster Green with a Fawn interior, which is perhaps the quintessential DBAR1 color combination, as this is the same color combination that the Los Angeles Auto Show car boasted upon its premiere. Under Pond’s ownership, the car was serviced by Desert European Motorcars in Rancho Mirage, California, and invoices for which are included in the sale. As the car has seen limited mileage since new, a thorough inspection is advised prior to use.
With a design that improved upon the already stunning bodywork of the DB7, the DBAR1 displays many characteristic Zagato cues and is undoubtedly the coachbuilder’s most memorable modern creation. Simply stated, this is a car that checks all the right boxes. With coachwork designed by one of the industry’s most notable design houses, fantastic performance, limited production, and modern amenities, it has it all. This particular DBAR1, with just over 600 miles from new, would be at home in any collection of Aston Martins or modern supercars, and it beckons to have its legs stretched on a sunny day along the California coast.
Robert Myrick Photography