- 1,115
- Rivera
- Tsukishima-TDUDT
This unusual Aston Martin was first shown at the Montreal Motor Show in January 1972. The idea behind it came from David Ogle in the 1960's but it wasn't until after his death that the project really evolved to a finished car. With the cost of the car being met by the tobacco company, W.O.Wills, the car was designed and built during 1971 under the guidance of Tom Karen. The car was known as 'The Sotheby Special' and finished in dark blue with gold pinstripes in order to promote the cigarette brand that Wills had just introduced. As the brand failed, the car was repainted in the 'Embassy' colours of white with a logo of red triangles.
The Sotheby Special was based on an Aston Martin DBS V8 chassis (DBSV8/10380/R), with outrageous 1970s glassfibre coachwork supported on a Reynolds 531 tubular steel frame. The entire ‘glasshouse’ is in Perspex. Under the bonnet lies an early prototype Aston Martin V8, while the cockpit is a riot of bright green courtesy of ‘banquette’ seating for three in hardwearing Moquette – a type of industrial material used on public service vehicles such as buses and trains.
A striking feature of the rear of the car is the strip of 22 rear lights. The harder the driver pressed the brake pedal the more lights were lit up.
A second, fully functioning car was manufactured for promotional duties (later to be repainted in Embassy colours for use by Graham Hill’s Grand Prix team) and a third commissioned by a private individual who, once seeing the car on BBC TV’s Tomorrow’s World, simply had to have one, even at a cost in 1973 of £28,750. At the time the standard V8 Saloon was listed at £8,749.
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