1953 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage Coupé

There are Astons, and then there are early ‘DB’ Astons.

The Aston Martin DB2 Vantage sits at the very beginning of that lineage – the first to wear the now-mythical David Brown initials, and a car that quietly laid the foundation for everything that followed. But within that already rarefied world, the Vantage occupies an even more compelling niche.

Just 308 examples were built. Of those, a mere 118 were left-hand drive cars equipped with the desirable VB6B Vantage engine. This is one of them.

Chassis LML/50/283.

And then there is the condition.

In an era where so many early Astons have been over-restored into something they never quite were, this example presents with a level of honesty that is becoming exceptionally difficult to find. It is, quite possibly, among the finest unrestored DB2 Vantages in existence – retaining that irreplaceable sense of authenticity, character, and time-earned patina that no restoration, however skilled, can truly replicate.

Delivered new on 27th April 1953 to Arthur R. Conte of Pennsylvania, this car began life in elegant Moonbeam Grey over red leather, piped in grey – a combination that feels entirely period-correct and quietly confident. Its early years were spent in the United States, primarily California, passing through a small number of owners including a Lockheed Aircraft employee, before being laid up in storage in the early 1960s.

There it would remain, untouched, for over four decades.

That long dormancy has, in many ways, preserved the very qualities that now define it.

Recommissioned with care rather than reinvention, the car benefitted from a £42,000 mechanical rebuild by the renowned RS Williams in 2014, followed by a comprehensive engine rebuild in 2016 by Endeavour Classics at a cost of approximately €49,000. The result is a car that retains its soul, yet drives exactly as a Vantage should – eager, precise, and entirely usable.

Under the bonnet sits the 2.6-litre twin-cam straight-six, breathing through twin SU carburettors to produce 125bhp – modest by modern standards, perhaps, but more than sufficient in a car of such purity. Period figures suggest 0–60 mph in under 11 seconds and a top speed approaching 117 mph, placing it firmly among the faster GT cars of its day. More importantly, it delivers its performance with a mechanical delicacy and balance that modern machinery simply cannot emulate.

And this is not a car that has been confined to static display. Quite the opposite.

Accompanied by a FIVA Identity Card, it has proven itself where it matters most – on the road. A two-time finisher of the Mille Miglia in 2016 and 2018, and participant in the Tulpenrally in 2017 and 2019, this is a car that has covered serious distance in the most demanding historic events, exactly as intended.

Importantly, it is offered today in fully prepared condition by RS Williams for further Mille Miglia entry or similar touring events – ready, not merely eligible.

Inside, the original patinated seats remain – gently worn, beautifully honest, and entirely irreplaceable. They tell the story of the car far better than any invoice ever could.

That said, the accompanying history file is exemplary. Detailed, comprehensive, and reflective of careful, knowledgeable custodianship over many decades.

Market perspective

Early DB2 Vantages have, for some time, sat quietly in the shadow of later DB4s and DB5s. But the market has a habit of correcting such oversights. Increasingly, collectors are recognising the appeal of these earlier, lighter, more tactile cars – particularly those with genuine provenance, competition eligibility, and, crucially, originality.

Cars like this sit at the intersection of all three.

Rare, usable, and deeply authentic, LML/50/283 is not simply another DB2 Vantage. It is precisely the sort of example that seasoned collectors wait years to find – and, once found, tend not to let go.