A 1937 Aston Martin 15/98 2L Long-Chassis Tourer, an example of the company’s original luxury-class four-seat touring car, will be offered for sale May 23 at the May Sale by Silverstone Auctions. The auction will be held at the Silverstone racing circuit in England.
Aston Martin was known for its sports cars and racing success, but the company’s chairman, Arthur Sutherland, was convinced that the automaker’s future financial security rested with building cars for more moderate road use and finally persuaded Bert Bertelli, Aston’s long-time technical director and head of design, to build such a car. A short-chassis four-seater debuted in 1936.
Only 24 such Abbey-bodied long-chassis tourers were built. They sold for £575 when new. Nearly 80 years later, Silverstone estimates this example, KMG 202, to be worth £160,000 to £190,000 ($250,000 to $300,000).
In 1954 the car’s engine was converted from dry-sump oiling to enhance performance in fast corners. Though not built for racing, the car competed in the St. John Horsfall Handicap race at Silverstone in 1950.
The car was put into dry storage in 1970 and remained there until 2011, when it was purchased by its current owner as a barn-find and underwent a complete restoration by pre-war Aston specialist Andy Bell of Ecurie Bertelli Ltd.
The car won the AMOC Conours D’Etate for pre-war cars in 2013 at Broughton Castle.
Silverstone Auctions says the car not only looks “amazing” but “drives extremely well with all pressures and temperatures as they should be and has covered just 1,500 miles since restoration.”
Bidding at the auction can be done in person or via Proxibid or Life Auctioneers.
