1987 Aston Martin V8 FastBack Coupe

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage 'Oscar India' was introduced in 1978 and came with a closed-bonnet scoop, large front air dam, and blanked-off front grille. The interior was updated with leather and wood. Over the years, Aston Martin continued to raise the bar even further, culminating with the 'X-Pack' introduced at the 1986 British International Motor Show. It was fitted with the modified V580X engine previously seen in the V8 Zagato. The engine had four dual-barrel Weber carburetors, high-compression Cosworth pistons, and larger valves and intake manifold helping to achieve 430 horsepower from its 5.3 liters. In this guise, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage achieved true supercar status with a 200 mph top speed.

This particular example is the 48th X-Pack built and one of 137 X-Pack coupes ever produced. It was built in late 1987, in preparation for display at the Scottish Motor Show. It was given some features which were later seen on the 1988 models, including Ronal 16-inch wheels. It was delivered to Murray Motor Company in Scotland in March 1988, and by the late 2000s it had acquired 73,000 miles on its odometer. It was purchased by Bramley Motor Cars, who undertook an extensive restoration by top UK Aston specialists. The work included a full glass-out, bare-metal repaint in period-correct Rolls-Royce Royal Blue by Spray Tec Restorations, followed by a rebuild of the gearbox and rear axle. The interior was re-trimmed in Brown Wilton carpet and Bitter Chocolate Autolux leather piped with Light Grey. The engine was sent to the factory service department, Aston Martin Works, where a full rebuild to 6.3-liter specification was performed for a total cost in excess of £70,000. A new AC compressor was fitted along wide an upgraded braking system, Z Core radiator, and stainless exhaust system.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2020