Footnotes

Shortly after reorganisation under new ownership as AML (1975) Ltd, Aston Martin resumed development of its highly successful V8. A host of improvements was to be incorporated in the forthcoming Series 4, scheduled for introduction in October 1978. Built from then until 1986, these cars are generally known by the factory's 'Oscar India' sobriquet, standing for 'October Introduction'. The most obvious differences were a restyled bonnet and boot-mounted spoiler, while the cabin received a redesigned dashboard and centre console, and the headlining became leather rather than cloth. There were, of course, countless other improvements, most notably to the air conditioning and to the shock absorber settings.

Autocar magazine found much to commend in the 'Oscar India' tested in October 1978, reckoning that this latest example from the Newport Pagnell factory stood out as the best-built and most competently finished car it had ever known Aston Martin produce. "It sets new standards of excellence for the company. In the past there has always been a slightly niggly feeling that one was paying an awful lot of money for a car of rather indifferent trim standards, in which the fabulous performance was not matched by the way the car was put together. Not so any more - the car is a delight, whether to drive, to travel in, or simply to look at."

An automatic transmission example, '12220' is an example of the much-improved Series 4 'Oscar India' model. Its Car Record Card copy reveals that the Aston was originally finished in Madagascar Brown with dark brown-piped Magnolia interior, and that it was retailed via Reg Vardy Ltd. Nothing is known of its early history, the earliest record being a copy V5C Registration Certificate, issued to Mr Julian Green of Kent on 17th May 2000, which records one Philip Bennett of Oxfordshire as previous keeper (from 1989).

The current owner purchased the Aston Martin from Aston Workshop as recently as 17th December 2019; the sales invoice records the colour as Kentucky Blue and notes a right- to left-hand drive conversion costing £28,750 as part of the transaction. The car was exported in May 2020 and will be subject to the low import duty rate of 5% and need to be reregistered with the DVLA should the successful purchaser wish to resume using it in the UK. A recent inspection was carried out in June of this year and the car started readily.