1958 Aston Martin DB Mark III Sports Saloon

• One of only 551 DB Mark IIIs made
• Four owners from new
• Purchased by Captain Ivan Forshaw (Aston Service Dorset) in the late 1970s
• Offered for sale by the Forshaw family
• Highly original

Two years after the introduction of the DB2/4 Mark II came the DB Mark III, 551 of which, mainly saloons, were made between March 1957 and July 1959. Externally the most obvious change was the adoption of a DB3S-style grille, establishing the 'hallmark' look of subsequent Aston Martins, which had been drawn up by Tickford designer, Bert Thickpenny. This restyled nose give the car a more imposing look, while the interior boasted a redesigned dashboard with instruments grouped in a cowled panel ahead of the driver.

The 3.0-litre DBA engine benefited from an extensive redesign by Tadek Marek (newly arrived from Austin) and featured, among other improvements, a stiffer block, stronger crankshaft, and a new cylinder head with bigger valves. 162bhp was available with the single-pipe exhaust system, 178bhp with the optional twin-pipe version. Elsewhere there were improvements to both clutch and gearbox; Laycock overdrive became available and front disc brakes were standard rather than optional after the first 100 cars had been built, commencing at chassis '1401'. Despite the inevitable weight increase, the Mark III was faster than any of its predecessors with a top speed of 120mph.

The DB Mark III is also notable as the first Aston Martin to feature in a 'James Bond' novel, being driven by '007' in Goldfinger. It was also the last Aston Martin produced with the W O Bentley-era six-cylinder engine.

Its accompanying copy guarantee form reveals that chassis number '1595' was delivered new to one Leslie Gilbert Pitt Esq of Bridgnorth. The original colour scheme was Peony with beige leather trim, and the car was delivered with the optional overdrive, a twin exhaust system, and a glovebox lid. Two subsequent owners are listed, the second being Mr Ronald Maslin of Findon, Sussex (change undated).

Mr Maslin carried out a partial restoration before selling the Aston to the parts supplier, Captain Ivan Forshaw of Aston Service Dorset, in the late 1970s. The car has remained in the Forshaw family's custodianship ever since. Used sympathetically, it remains in highly original condition. Well maintained, as one would expect, the engine is said to run very smoothly while the body is described as straight, with no areas of corrosion, and the original paintwork as good. The interior's original leather is likewise said to be in good condition and the transmission and electrics to work as they should. Accompanying documentation consists of an old-style logbook, a V5C Registration Certificate, and the aforementioned copy guarantee form.