HAutos: Drive Off In Prince William’s Aston Martin DB6 Volante (Princess Not Included)
After the royal nuptials, as Prince William drove away from Buckingham Palace with his princess, women the world over wished they were in the passenger seat. At the same time, lads all over were just dying to be in the driver’s seat of the ultra-stylish Aston Martin that Wills borrowed from Prince Charles for his big day. While the princess in your life may not get Kate’s royal crown, your Aston Martin is certainly not out of the picture, as two virtually identical Aston Martins will be on sale at Bonhams’ upcoming auction.
Considered by many to as the last “real” Aston Martin, the DB6 Volante was a gift to Prince Charles from the Queen for his 21st birthday, and sparked a love for the prestigious marque that has certainly followed through to the next generation of the dashing princes.
James Knight, Global Head of Collectors Motor Cars at Bonhams, said of the classicly stylish auto, “In the 1980s, the V8 model was being produced by Aston Martin and Prince Charles influenced the design by specifying a V8 Volante with Vantage power but without the aggressive looks of the Vantage. This ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing spec was adopted by only a few other customers and a limited run of just 25 were built. These cars became known as the V8 Vantage Volante ‘Prince of Wales’.”
Set for May 21, the auction will take place in Newport Pagnell, the home of Aston Martin. Their Lot 305 is a 1968 Aston Martin DB6 MkI Volante, which is estimated to sell for £210,000-240,000. The second is Lot 325, another 1968 Aston Martin DB6 MkI Volante, has an estimated price of £200,000-250,000.
[Source: Paul Fraser Collectibles]