The sale of an Aston Martin Virage Volante used by Prince Charles

A press release pinged into my inbox this morning from Bonhams that immediately caught my attention. It came from Leonora Oldfield of Bonhams, someone I hadn’t heard from since the days when we were both involved in fundraising for Lady Meyer’s PACT.

The 1994 Aston Martin Virage Volante that was used by Prince Charles until 2008
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Most of my readers will know of the subsequent stories covered by The Daily Telegraph and The Independent about how that particular organisation operates and I don’t wish or need to dwell on that matter further.

Continue the thread

Two stories to keep beside you

An Angular Aston – 1989 Aston Martin Volante Zagato V8 – Hexagon Classics – £350,000 ($426,000 or €387,000)
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An Angular Aston

Rare 1989 Aston Martin Volante Zagato offered for sale Aston Martin have produced many a stunning cars over the years but one that is sheer Marmite is the Volante Zagato. A worldwide total of just thirty-sven were produced and now one is for sale for £350,000 ($426,000 or €387,000). A 1989 example in […]

One for one hundred – 2013 Aston Martin Centennial DB9 Spyder concept by Zagato – Designed by Norihiko Harada for Aston Martin collector Peter Read – For sale at RM Auctions, Monterey sale, 15th August 2015 with a guide of £246,000 – £290,000 ($380,000 – $450,000, €346,000 – €410,000)
From the same Steeple territory

One for one hundred

One-off 2013 Aston Martin concept car created to mark Aston Martin’s 100th anniversary heads to auction in California

The press release itself contained something that I found far more fascinating. In it, Bonhams announced that they are to auction an Aston Martin Virage Volante that was used by Prince Charles from 1994 until 2008.

Prince Charles pictured getting out of the car
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Prince Charles driving the car

This spectacular 6.3 litre soft-top vehicle has been on display at Aston Martin’s headquarters at Gaydon since another Aston Martin owned by the environmentally conscious prince was converted to run on bio-ethanol distilled from surplus British wine. That vehicle, an Aston Martin DB6 MKII, was most famously also used by Prince William to drive his new wife from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House after their wedding last year.

The Aston Martin DB6 MKII owned by Prince Charles that was used by Prince William to drive his new wife from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House on 29th April 2011
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Bonhams quote a pre-sale estimate of £50,000 to £70,000 for the dark green Aston Martin Virage Volante. It will be auctioned at the Aston Martin Works Service at Newport Pagnell on 19th May 2012.

Prince Charles once said: “I’d rather go by bus.” I feel rather differently: I’d rather take this Aston any day.

 

For more information on the sale of the 1994 Aston Martin Virage Volante used by Prince Charles, contact Bonhams on +44 (0) 20 7468 5801 or email [email protected]. View details of the sale at: http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20142

Follow Bonhams on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/bonhams1793