1998 Aston Martin V8 Coupe

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to import duty and VAT if the car is to remain in the UK. As this car is less than 30 years old there will be duty of £50 +VAT plus import VAT of 20% added to on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £25,000, then £60 duty and £5,000 VAT is added, making the total amount payable of £30,060. If buying the car in a company name the duty rate for this car will be 10% (+VAT).

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £250 for processing the NOVA application, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and thus allow you to register the vehicle with the DVLA

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

On 25.3.04 the car had a recorded mileage of 34,411.

On 31.1.2011, the same day the car was bought for the vendor’s collection, the mileage was recorded by an MoT tester as 44,008 (it passed its MoT, by the way).

This car has spent the intervening years dry stored and on static display.

Today, the odometer reads 44,036 miles.

The car is RHD with an auto box. The exterior is Pentland Green, the interior is cream Connolly hide with green piping. The carpets and the top of the dashboard are also green.

The car appears to be in exceptional condition and presents extremely well from every angle, inside and out, although our observations are necessarily limited to the car’s cosmetic appearance.

We haven’t been able to start or drive the car, but we have been able to turn the engine by hand and can state that it isn’t seized.

The vehicle will require recommissioning.

The metallic green ‘Pentland’ finish is bright, shiny, lustrous and devoid of any notable blemishes or faults.

The shut lines are tight and consistent. The doors slam shut with a satisfyingly metallic ‘thunk’ that serves as a distinctive aural reminder of the car’s hand-built provenance.

There are very few dinks, dimples or dents to speak of. The only marks we noticed looked like fingerprints which were probably left when the vehicle was being moved on and off a trailer.

It looks great as it is. A good machine polish could only make it look even better, we imagine.

The trim and badging are in very good condition and the lights and lenses are clear and unmarked.

The wheels, too, are very good, save for one or two small dark marks on the n/s/r.

All in all, the car looks very good indeed and was clearly properly looked after before it went on static display.

There is no bubbling or corrosion visible anywhere on the (aluminium) bodywork that we can see.

The interior condition is equally impressive and is an object lesson in how best to use the finest veneers, hides and carpets.

The cream leather upholstery with green piping shows only the very lightest creasing and the seats, front and back, are comfortable and supportive. Frankly, the interior looks almost showroom fresh.

The door cards are unmarked and apparently untroubled either by time or use. The same is true of the buttery-soft headlining and the thick green carpets.

The wood veneers on the dashboard and centre console are in pristine condition and wouldn’t look out of place on a Sheraton side table.

The steering wheel and gear selector are in fine condition. The handbrake handle could do with being shown a damp cloth and a little soapy water.

The dials and instruments are clear. But we can’t make any claims about the functionality of the car’s knobs, switches, dials, levers and buttons as we haven’t been able to start the vehicle and test the electrics.

The boot is in excellent condition, too. Lifting up the carpets here or elsewhere on this car reveals nothing to worry about whatsoever, as far as we can see.

In general, the undersides seem to be well preserved, undamaged and structurally sound.

We’ve seen nothing more than an entirely standard bloom of superficial rust dust anywhere.

The engine bay is very full but clean and dry. Everything looks more or less as new. The engine itself, hand-built by Ron Russell, appears to have everything in its right and proper place.

There are a few bits of paper with the car, a couple of which attest to the fact that, just before it departed these shores for the vendor’s private collection in 2011, it had a full service courtesy of the Chiltern Aston Centre.

It also had new brake pads, front and rear, at a combined cost of £918 for the parts alone.

The car comes with a small number of bills and invoices predating this work but nothing that amounts to a full service history. There is an original owner’s handbook, instruction manuals for the Alpine ICE system, and various old MoT certificates.

Today, this car has neither an MoT certificate nor a current V5.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

As with the other cars in this collection we can’t say very much about the car’s history, its mechanical functionality, or how it drives and handles.

That said, this car is in exceptional condition cosmetically, both inside and out.

We have no reason to doubt that, after recommissioning, the car will be every bit as good to drive as it is to look at and sit in.

These powerful, luxurious, hand-built cars were as rare as hen’s teeth when new.

Today, there really aren’t many of these V8 Coupés out there.

We think you might struggle to find a better one than this.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £25,000 - £35,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.