Vantage Special Series AM3, by Carrozzeria Pininfarina
Vantage Special Series AM3, by Carrozzeria Pininfarina

Vantage Special Series AM3, by Carrozzeria Pininfarina

(1996 - 1998)

The AM3 is quite unusual for an Aston as it was bodied by Pininfarina in Italy, a company much more associated with Ferrari. As with many of the other special cars of the 1990's, the AM3 was based on a Vantage chassis with V600 supercharged V8 5.3 litre engine. This car was first featured in the 1998 Autocar article, then AM Power, Beauty & Soul by David Dowsey and it appears that  3 cars were built.

Vantage Special Series AM3, by Carrozzeria Pininfarina

It was at the request of the client from Far East Asia that the carrozeria contacted AML with the proposal of a collaborative project. This involved AML supplying complete rolling and running chassis to coachbuilders, Coggiola near Turin, to have them then clothed in unique coachwork with bespoke interiors as styled by Pininfarina.

The very odd and distinguishing feature of the AM3 is a composite nose cone which encompasses the lights and grille. This feature at least will remind you of the rubber bumper MGB GT or a US sportscar with one of those ‘black bra’ things that they have – it’s that odd. The rear lights are behind a full width smoked black panel in the shape of the AM grill.

These pictures appear to have been taken by Pininfarina on the roof of their factory in Italy; the car appears to be on a turntable. Rather oddly, AM3 whilst never officially seen in public was modelled in 1/43 scale by Ban Seng.

It is believed that Pininfarina offered five possible designs to the client, AM1 to AM5, and only design numbers 3 and 4 went on to be produced. It is unlikely that the renderings for AM1, AM2 and AM5 will ever be made public.

These photographs have been kindly provided by Aston Martin Works