1953 | Aston Martin DB 2 Vantage DHC

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Cliveden House event, 8 July 2025.
£180,000 - £220,000 GBP

• One of just 98 examples of the glamorous Aston Martin DB2 Drophead Coupé
• Right-hand-drive car originally specified in Botticelli Blue over Blue trim; now presented in an attractive dark blue hue with matching soft-top roof over tan hide
• Fitted with a replacement 2.6-litre straight-six Vantage engine
• Delivered new to Singapore; acquired by the consignor in March 2008

David Brown bought Aston Martin in 1947 before swiftly snapping up Lagonda and moving both firms into adjacent workshops in Feltham. Styled by Frank Feeley and sporting Lagonda’s 2.6-litre twin-cam straight-six that delivered 105 brake horsepower, the DB2 soon emerged from the factory gates. The plan was to target sales in North America, with the new model ideally suited to high-speed, long-distance interstate driving. A matter of months later, in the autumn of 1950, the DB2 Drophead Coupé was unveiled. With no extra bracing in the chassis, the convertible was some 87 kilograms lighter than its hardtop counterpart.

Beyond the prototype, which became the personal car of Brown himself, just 98 Drophead Coupés were built from a total production run of only 411 DB2s. Offered here is chassis number LML/50/239, which is configured in right-hand drive. Per the accompanying copy of the Aston Martin factory build record, the car was originally finished in the pale shade of Botticelli Blue over a Blue interior and featured a Grey soft-top roof. While the car was initially completed with the typical DB2 steering column-mounted gearchange, prior to delivery it was converted to a more conventional centre-change set-up.

Exported to Singapore via Eastern Autos in June 1953, the DB2 was purchased new by Chan Hin Cheung of Chan Wing & Sons Ltd. The car remained in the country under the care of a J B Evans. Come the 1963 instalment of the Aston Martin Owners Club Register, chassis number LML/50/239 is recorded as belonging to a J M Hardman. The Drophead Coupé was subsequently acquired by Mr Peter Read, who split his time between West Sussex and the Californian city of Berkeley.

The DB2 was subsequently recommissioned and maintained, including the fitment of power steering, by marque authorities RS Williams and Nicolas Mee in the early 2000s before finding a new owner in Pöcking, Germany. The consigning owner, a collector of both pre- and post-war Aston Martins, then took care of the car from March 2008.

Now presented in a smart dark blue shade over tan upholstery and sporting a dark blue roof, this DB2 Drophead Coupé also boasts a replacement Vantage-specification engine that, from the factory, would have generated an additional 20 brake horsepower. Please note that the chassis number appears to be restamped, possibly during the recommissioning process.

Accompanied by a spare wheel and jack, this Aston Martin offers a glamorous open-air driving experience.

Please note this lot has entered the UK on a temporary import bond, which must be cancelled either by exporting the lot outside of the UK on an approved Bill of Lading with supporting customs documentation or by paying the applicable VAT and import duties to have the lot remain in the UK.

To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/ch25/.