1953 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage Drophead Coupé

• One of only 98 DB2 drophead coupés (75 LHD)
• Matching numbers chassis and engine
• Restored to original factory colour scheme
• Delivered new to the USA
• Restored in Switzerland in the 2000s for noted collector Jean-Pierre Slavic
• Present private ownership since 2011

Aston Martin owner David Brown's 1947 acquisition of Lagonda made the latter's Willie Watson-designed, twin-overhead-camshaft, 2.6-litre six available for a new sports car: the DB2. (This power unit is commonly referred to as 'the Bentley engine', W O Bentley having been Lagonda's Chief Engineer at the time.) Announced in April 1950, with production commencing the following month, the DB2 owed much to the Claude Hill-designed DB1, using a shortened and modified version of the latter's chassis and identical suspension. Italian-inspired, the timelessly elegant GT bodywork was the creation of Frank Feeley, and with more power (105bhp at 5,000rpm) and less weight, the sleek DB2 comfortably out-performed its predecessor.

Writing in 1952, Autosport's John Bolster enthused: "The DB2 is a very fast sports car of immense stamina, as a long list of racing successes has proved. (The) model is remarkable for its comfort and luxury, and is also about the easiest thing there is to drive, outside of the 'automatic transmission' carriages." Bolster enjoyed the DB2's outstanding performance, particularly that of the 200km/h Vantage version, and remarked on the car's inherent safety and versatility: "Whether one would go shopping, to the theatre, on a long-distance tour, or even race at Le Mans, one could have no more perfect companion than the Aston Martin."

The body of the DB2 afforded its two occupants a generous amount of interior space and the considerable convenience, from the maintenance and accessibility point of view, of a forward-hinging entire front section. DB2 bodies were coach built in the traditional manner, a situation that resulted in numerous differences between individual examples, most obviously in the treatment of the front grille. A drophead coupé version was announced towards the end of 1950. When production ceased in April 1953, a total of 411 DB2s had been made: 98 of them dropheads, of which 75 were of left-hand drive configuration.

This DB2 drophead's guarantee form (copy on file) shows that it was built with the more powerful (125bhp) VB6B 'Vantage' engine and left the factory in left-hand drive configuration bound for Aston Martin importer J S Inskip in the USA. The car left the factory finished in Deep Carriage Green with beige interior trim. A rear seat, Purolator filter, manual choke and ignition, and a windshield vent frame are among the items of non-standard equipment listed. The Aston's first owner is recorded as Mr Marvin Weimann of Woodmere, Long Island.

In 2006 the preceding owner Jean-Pierre Slavic, a noted Geneva based collector purchased it at an auction in Massachusetts. He then imported the Aston to Switzerland where it was restored, the works included an engine rebuild and repainting and re-trimming in the original colours. The following caretaker of this vehicle purchased the car at a UK auction in December 2011.
Invoices on file for maintenance (six in total) dating from December 2007 to October 2009 total CHF 20,341 and with the him from February 2012 to September 2020 total €23,213. The car also comes with a BMIHT Certificate, an original DB2 sales brochure, copy of the Aston Martin build sheet extract from the records, Belgian Carte Grise, Belgian Contrôle Technique (valid until 25.03.2025), and the aforementioned copy guarantee form. The current vendor bought the car from Bonhams' 2022 Zoute Sale. He has, since then meticulously stored the car and driven it sporadically. The car has been recently serviced and makes a wonderful opportunity to own and enjoy one of these very desirable and quintessentially British sports cars in its rare open-top form and in Vantage configuration.