1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 MK III Fastback Coupe

David Brown had an agenda when he made the move to unite Aston Martin and Lagonda. He had a vision. Unfortunately, the engine he had available to power that vision wasn't enough. Lagonda held the key to what would become an icon of the British automotive industry.

W.O. Bentley had a disagreement with Tim Birkin about supercharging one of his Bentley's. He had always been a purist and a string of success at Le Mans seemed to suggest he knew what he was doing.

Upon leaving for Lagonda, Bentley would set about designing champion. David Brown had a vision of a 2-liter sports car for Aston Martin. Unfortunately, the 1.9-liter he had available to him just didn't live up to Brown's vision. Bentley's engine did. Therefore, Brown would buy and unite Aston Martin and Lagonda and, instantaneously, he would have the engine for which he longed.

The Lagonda 2.6-liter engine would transform Brown's DB2 coupe into a very competitive sports car. This would lead to various model evolutions and updates from 1950 onwards. In 1957, the vision would continue with the DB2 Mk III.

Powered by a 178bhp 2.9-liter DOHC inline six-cylinder engine, the DB2 Mk III carried on the tradition. By 1957, just a little less than 1,200 examples of the DB2s and DB2/4s had been produced. That same year, the final iteration of the line would begin production. The final and considered to be the pinnacle expression of Brown's vision, the DB Mk III would add 551 units to that tally revealing just how good that final expression truly was.

Chassis AM300/3/1451 bears all of what made the DB Mk III the best. One of just 84 examples of the Drophead Coupe, this particular chassis would be all the more rare in that it would be among the half of those 84 that would ever be completed with left-hand drive. In addition, the car would be a DB2/4 meaning it had folding panel that revealed additional seating for two. Girling disc brakes on the front and part of the line that introduced the world to the now obvious Aston Martin grille, this car is about as iconic as they come.

Sadly, this car's history before 2000 is very much a mystery. However, what is now known is that, once it emerged from storage, it underwent extensive restoration work. Kevin Kay Restorations would earn the commission for the project and would set about performing a complete body-off effort.

Considered now to be one of the finest examples of the DB2/4, this car would be completed in 2010 and would sport an optional dual exhaust and a five-speed manual gearbox developed by Kevin Kay Restorations. In addition, KKR would choose to fit the car with triple SU carburetors, which happened to be a factory option in 1958, of which the car is an example.

Restoration costs totaling more than $400,000, it would be easy to understand why this car is considered one of the best examples of the line. Completed in Aston Green metallic paint with factory-optional Borrani wire wheels, this car has all the touches.

Finished with all the extras and an excellent example of Brown's vision for an Aston Martin sports car, this 1958 DB2/4 Mk III would be offered for sale as part of RM Sotheby's 2015 Monterey auction. Expectations for the car were high as the restoration efforts and the rarity of the car caused estimates to range from between $700,000 and $900,000.

By Jeremy McMullen