This Aston Martin is part British, part Italian, and part American, but 100 percent lust worthy. It is a 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1, powered by a naturally aspirated V12 and a six-speed manual transmission, with classic British styling that’s been massaged into a truly striking roadster by legendary Italian designer Zagato. And it’s up for auction now on Doug DeMuro’s auction site Cars And Bids. When DeMuro reviewed this very car, even he, the guy who’s driven thousands of remarkable vehicles, was still giddy to get behind the wheel of this masterpiece.
The 2003 DB AR1 was basically the swan song for the Aston Martin DB7 platform that had been making car lovers swoon since 1994, and just hearing the exhaust on start-up makes me totally understand why. Aside from the car’s nearly 10 year old platform, the styling was incredibly daring for its time. The massively gaping grille wouldn’t be repeated in this scale on another Aston for years to come, and the curvy body lines that legendary design house Zagato hand formed carried the gorgeous styling all the way to the car’s rear end. I have never been too fond of the DB7’s looks, but this DB AR1 has totally won me over.
The best part about this car aside from its looks is its powertrain. It’s got a 5.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 that produces 435 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque and gets all that power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. A two-seat V12 sports car is the epitome of excess, and though I don’t normally give off the vibe of someone who likes excess, I absolutely love that the purpose of this car is to look incredible and drive even better.
Despite some obvious interior parts sharing with Aston Martin’s then-parent company Ford, this striking Tungsten Silver over Charcoal car is pure elegance. It only reads 9,600 miles, and it has only been registered to two owners since it was new. The only known flaws that are listed are a mark on the passenger side mirror, creases on the seats, and a patch of worn carpet near the gas pedal. This rare machine is still looking new after 21 years, and it’s reminding me I should schedule a botox appointment.
If you’re looking for a family car, look elsewhere. This is a strict two-seat roadster that doesn’t even have a roof, so this isn’t likely to make a great daily driver, but if you are looking for a lovely addition to your collection, place a bid. Also, if you are seriously looking to add this to your collection and you are looking for a friend to take with you on drives or anything, I think I know a guy who’d be happy to join you.
