Though Vanquish
collectors are a bit perplexed, dealers such as Massachusetts-based Stephen
Serio say they are pleased with the downmarket move. “The AMV8 Vantage broadens
the marque’s appeal,” he says. “In many ways, the car reminds me of Giorgio
Armani 20 years ago, before the movie American Gigolo. No one really knew the
Armani name then, and then it was everywhere.”Christie’s McCall does not
believe the lower-priced AMV8 Vantage will harm the Vanquish’s cache either.
“There is such a large difference in price points,” he says, “and the new model
will bring more people into the Aston Martin family. A percentage of those
buyers will undoubtedly become collectors, and that will [favorably] impact the
marketplace for collectible Astons.” Certain historic Aston Martins have been
truly great investments, and their cache is reflected in their current market
values. The DB5 from the mid-1960s has seen its value spike in the past 12
months from $140,000 to $200,000. (It originally cost $13,000.) The DB4 Zagato
from the early 1960s, which cost $12,000 new, is extremely rare (only 19 were
made), and demand for this model has pushed its resale value up to $2.7 million.
Dearest of all is the DBR1, which powered Aston Martin to its LeMans victory in
1959. Since only five were made, these vehicles trade like pieces of fine art in
private transactions. They can fetch from $3 million to $5 million. Other
Astons languish. The V-8 coupes from the 1970s and 1980s are stuck in the
$35,000 to $60,000 range. And though the recently discontinued DB7 and DB7
Vantage were brisk sellers, their high production numbers weigh on resale
values. They are now depreciating like any normal used car.
Long term,
Christie’s McCall is bullish. “The litmus test for any car is the ‘wow’ factor,”
he points out. “Here we are, almost three years after the Vanquish was
introduced, and it still has sizzle. When something remains cool for that
long, future value is affected.” Additional Information
 Aston Martin's DB9
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