1985 Aston Martin V8 Volante
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Highlights
• Only 46,000 miles from new
• Garage stored
• Rich history
The Appeal
After a successful run of the DB badged cars, Aston Martin were looking for something fresh, something ground-breaking, to help re-invent the company and bring it into the modern era of car design.
Deriving its name from Tadek Marek’s 5.3-litre V8 engine, it is said that production of a V8 Volante would take four months from start to finish, requiring around 1,200 hours.
This V8 Volante has received a great deal of work over its lifetime and there is a large history file to back this up. With all the previous V5s, lots of MOT certificates, and other assorted invoices, it is easy to say that this is a fine example.
The History and Paperwork
• All of the previous V5s, including a modern one, are present.
• Many original invoices from the early 90s onwards
• Original MOT certificates are present
• This car has a service book full of stamps from 1985 onwards
• Original Aston Martin V8 Owners Handbook
• This car has appeared in one of the first adverts for Autoglym
• There is one sizeable invoice for over £26,000 from 2003
• There are a few photos that show the corrosion repairs being carried out
• It was off the road for a number of years until it was acquired by the vendor
The Interior
• Cream leather
• Wooden accents
• Powered hood
The interior of a V8 Volante is a charming place to be, with acres of leather, copious quantities of wood, and the addition of rather fetching green carpet in this example.
With this being an Aston Martin, you would be correct in thinking that only the best materials have been used on the interior.
Starting with the cream leather seats with contrasting green piping, all four seats in this Volante are smart, showing very little in the way of wear. There is a small mark on the left-hand side bolster of the driver’s seat but this may well come out with some leather cleaner.
It is not only the seats that are finished in this beautiful cream leather, the centre console, door cards, and cover for the electric roof are also in good order.
Moving on from the seats to the wooden finishes on the doors, centre console, and dashboard all of these are in lovely shape, with no damage we could detect.
To match the walnut and leather dash, all the switchgear is big and tactile. You can easily interact with them without taking your eye off the road.
The most exciting interior feature of this car is of course the soft-top roof which is where the Volante version gets its name from. You will be happy to hear that this soft top is also in good condition for its age. The hood itself is very sound, with no rips or tears to the material.
This V8 Volante’s interior is simply exquisite, with tons of leather, wood, and high-end features for the time, you know that you are sitting in something special.
The Exterior
• Smart wheels
• Recent paintwork
• Sleek, stylish and purposeful looking
The Aston Martin V8 is one of those cars that has immense road presence, with its bulging bonnet and wide arches, you know it means business. Being finished in a lovely deep dark green, it really looks the part.
It is clear to see that this Volante has been looked after throughout its life. With the extraordinarily low and genuine mileage, it has been preserved for the next owner to enjoy.
The paintwork has clearly been renewed quite recently and it glistens in the sun. Those silver wheels are also presented in good condition for their age with only a few small marks we could see. The period correct Avon turbospeed tyres really look the part and with their tall sidewalls, they give this Aston Martin a cosseting ride.
As you would expect, the best part of the V8 Volante is the ability to have the roof up or down. With the flick of a switch the roof electrically retracts and stores neatly on the rear deck. Once the roof is down the whole look of the car is transformed into a sleek, topless grand tourer.
Along with the paint, wheels, and hood, the smaller details of the exterior are also well presented. All the chrome strips on the front bumper, sills, and rear bumper are in good order. The extra spotlights in the front grill look particularly fine.
The Mechanics
• Full-service history
• Plentiful mechanical invoices
• Gearbox overhaul within the past 5,000 miles
Fitted with an enormous 5.3-litre V8 the Volante is no slouch out on the open road. With the top down you can listen to the glorious soundtrack it provides through the twin pipes at the rear. The car has such an extensive service history and the vendor informs us that the engine runs as smoothly as you would expect.
An invoice from 2002 references work done to the cylinder heads to make them suitable for unleaded petrol. At this point, new brake servos were also fitted.
As a grand tourer, the car is fitted with a 3-speed Chrysler derived automatic gearbox. We can see from the invoices that the gearbox fitted to this example has been overhauled within the last 5,000 miles and is reported to work very well. As you would expect from an Aston Martin, it is almost effortless to drive at any speed.
Summary
The Aston Martin V8 Volante is one of those cars that really makes you smile.
The vast quantity of history and provenance is great to have and the car itself is a lovely example that will provide its next owner with many miles of rewarding open top motoring.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1985
- Make Aston Martin
- Model V8 Volante
- Colour Green
- Odometer 46,883 Miles
- Engine size 5340
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Town Brighton
- Location Sussex
- Country United Kingdom
7
bids
from 4
bidders
- jo•••• £135,000 31/08/22
- 51•••• £127,000 31/08/22
- jo•••• £125,000 24/08/22
- Ma•••• £100,000 24/08/22
- jo•••• £95,000 24/08/22
- Tc•••• £80,500 24/08/22
- jo•••• £80,000 24/08/22
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