Rare 1961 Aston Martin DP214 leads Mercedes-Benz World sale at Historics

A rare Aston Martin 1961 DP214 Tool Room copy will lead Historics’ The Brooklands Velocity sale at Mercedes Benz World, Brooklands.

An evolution of the Aston Martin DB4 and even more gorgeous DB4 Zagato, the DP214 was built specifically for high-speed track racing with a developed straight-six engine mated to a five-speed gearbox.

The Aston’s aluminium panels reduced drag thanks to its sleek nose, elongated body and tail spoiler, coaxing the Aston to a top speed of 180mph – necessary to compete with cars like the Ferrari 250 GTO. 

Just two original cars were built, one of which fell victim to terrible weather in a tragic accident at the Nürburgring, making the DP214 ripe for recreation – and this is one of the best. This faithful recreation is one of just two cars made to the real car’s design specifications, using (where possible) original materials and genuine Aston Martin parts.

This car has competed in Europe and the USA – including wins at Silverstone and a brace of victories at Laguna Seca – with a James Hipwell-built engine that’s good for approximately 385PS (283kW) thanks to, among other things, a steel crankshaft, high compression pistons and Carillo con-rods, with a gas-flowed, 12-plug cylinder head fuelled via a triple Weber carburettor.

Andrew Frankel of this parish once called this recreation’s sister car “one of the most startlingly effective old racing cars I ever tested.” High praise indeed.

And, while many will baulk at the half-a-million-pound asking price (us included), it’s worth noting that the sole remaining original car sold for $21.4million (or about £17million) at RM Sotheby’s in 2018, making Historics’ offering a comparative steal.

As you’d expect of a sale hosted by Mercedes Benz World, the three-pointed star has a strong showing with a 30-strong pack of cars led by a 1958 190 SL estimated to make £140,000–£160,000. It’s one of just 562 right-hand drive cars and has a rare factory hardtop. Years spent in Australia treated the SL kindly, with restoration work carried out in 2014 finding the body to be in its original condition. 

A 1968 manual 280SL Pagoda (£70,000–£80,000), a manual 1964 230SL Pagoda (£56,000–£64,000) and a 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL60 AMG (£49,000–£56,000) with the same V12 used in the Pagani Zonda, join the 190 at the sale. 

If Mercs aren’t your tipple, there are plenty of other brands to choose from; a 2008 Ferrari F430 estimated at £105,000–£135,000 is one of the most interesting. Often said to represent peak Ferrari, with modern electronics but none of the annoying aspects of brand-new models (exhaust muffling particulate filters and antagonising safety features), as a rare manual, this F430 represents the zenith of the analogue modern Ferrari and has covered less than 2,500 miles.