1973 Aston Martin V8 Saloon
- Engine
- 5.3L V8, carbureted, Vantage-spec tune, paired with ZF five-speed manual
- Colour
- Cumberland Grey (modified for film; originally Tudor Green metallic)
This 1973 Aston Martin V8 Saloon, chassis V8/10596/RCA, is one of four genuine road cars used during production of the 1987 James Bond film The Living Daylights. Originally delivered in Tudor Green to a private UK buyer, it was later acquired by EON Productions, modified to resemble a newer Cumberland Grey V8 Saloon, and used for the film's mountain chase sequence. It subsequently passed through the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum before entering American private ownership, where it was mechanically recommissioned and returned to driving condition.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate US$1,400,000 – US$1,800,000
- 1974-08-31 →Private saleFirst private owner (UK)partial documentation
Car was dispatched from Aston Martin to dealer Plough Motors and subsequently acquired by this owner. Original specification was Tudor Green metallic with fuel injection and automatic transmission.
- 1986 → 1995Private saleEON Productionsfull documentation
Purchased on the secondary market for use in filming The Living Daylights. The car was substantially modified for its role, including bodywork changes, a roll cage, and removal of the drivetrain for a stunt sequence.
- 1995-10-01 → 2004Private salePeter Nelsonfull documentation
Keswick-based collector who regularly acquired Bond film vehicles from EON after each production. The car was displayed at his Cars of the Stars Motor Museum; an October 1995 letter documents this transaction.
- 2004 → 2021Private saleAmerican enthusiast collectorpartial documentation
Kept the car in static display condition without returning it to road use during his ownership.
- 2021 →Private saleCurrent American ownerpartial documentation
Undertook a comprehensive recommissioning including installation of a carbureted V8 engine with Vantage upgrades, a five-speed manual gearbox, corrosion repairs, and modification of the prop rocket booster to produce real flames.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1986ModificationEON Productions
Transformed to resemble a newer-specification V8 Saloon: rear bodywork replaced in fibreglass, bonnet swapped to carburettor-spec unit, wheels updated, exterior resprayed in Cumberland Grey, simulated sunroof added, mock rocket booster fitted to tail, removable skis attached to sills, roll cage installed, and heavy steel underbody skid plates fitted.
Engine and transmission were subsequently removed to reduce weight for the stunt sequence in which the car was driven into a snowbank.
- 2021Engine rebuild
A carbureted V540 V8 with Vantage-specification upgrades and a ZF five-speed manual gearbox were sourced and installed, replacing the drivetrain removed roughly 35 years earlier for the film production.
- 2021Repair
Underside corrosion addressed and repaired as required during the broader recommissioning programme.
- 2021Bodywork
Front end of the car repainted as part of the recommissioning work.
- 2021Service
All mechanical systems inspected, serviced, and overhauled to return the car to roadworthy condition.
- 2021Modification
The dummy rear rocket booster was adapted to produce real flames; a removable centre console featuring dummy gadget switches and a mock self-destruct button was also prepared for the car.
Console fabricated by the current owner prior to the auction sale.
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