In Chinese culture, the number “8” is associated with good luck and prosperity; the number “88” with two “8”s combined it is an even more fortunate number. The 88 cars split across the three model variants were only made available to the Chinese market. The specs for the DBS Dragon 88 are as follows

• 2012MY DBS, LHD Coupe, Touchtronic 2 transmission, 2+2 seating, sports front seats
• Amethyst Red, Volcano Red or Champagne Gold coachwork
• Bright grille with Magnum Silver bonnet mesh.
• 24-Carat Gold Plated Aston Martin Wings Badges
• 10-spoke Silver painted Diamond Turned alloy wheels
• Black Brake Callipers
• Spicy Red, Deep Purple or Chancellor Red leather all with Sahara Tan stitching
• Piano Black fascia with intricate gold Inlay
• Obsidian Black carpets edged in Spicy Red, Deep Purple or Chancellor Red leather
• Ivory headlining
• Dragon seat embroidery, inspired by one on the “Nine-Dragon Wall” in Behai Park, Beijing
• Limited edition laser-etched sill plaque
• Optional cost equipment as standard: Auto-dimming rear view mirror, alarm upgrade, second glass ECU, two leather pouches
• Leather wrapped presentation box containing the owners guide, 2 glass ECUs and a customised pair of Bang & Olufsen Earphones

The DBS Coupe Dragon 88 is an extremely rare and desirable special edition with only 8 examples ever made.

Brady worked closely on this project with Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman who said: “Q by Aston Martin – Commission’ is the ultimate in bespoke, in fact it can even go as far as creating an entirely new car. Apparently Tom chose the Vanquish S as he recognised natural athletic performance when he sees it! 

The Tom Brady Signature Edition Vanquish S Volante was finished in Ultramarine Black, complemented by an interior of Dark Knight leather.  It featured extensive use of carbon fibre and other performance materials. Interestingly, Tom chose California Poppy leather paddle shift tips on the One-77 colour-keyed steering wheel.

Each car bears Tom’s signature on the sill plates and features his ‘TB12’ logo on a fender badge, embossed on the headrests and as a pull tab in the rear of the car, highlighted again in California Poppy.

First examples of the Vanquish S Volante ‘Tom Brady Signature Edition’ were delivered in quarter one of 2018 priced at $359,000.

Detailed specification of the Tom Brady Edition is as follows:-

• Ultramarine Black coachwork
• Black hood
• Carbon fibre bonnet vents
• Black mesh grille With carbon surround
• Mirror caps in gloss carbon fibre
• Carbon fibre side strakes with black mesh
• Red rear lights
• 10 Spoke cast Gloss Black wheels
• All Dark Knight leather interior
• Obsidian Black Rokona headlining
• Obsidian Black carpet
• Colour-keyed One-77 steering wheel
• California Poppy leather paddle shift tips
• TB12 custom embossed logo on the seat backs

In Chinese culture, the number “8” is associated with good luck and prosperity; the number “88” with two “8”s combined it is an even more fortunate number. The 88 cars split across the three model variants were only made available to the Chinese market. The specs for the DBS Dragon 88 Volante  are as follows

• 2012MY DBS, LHD Volante, Touchtronic 2 transmission, 2+2 seating, sports front seats
• Amethyst Red coachwork (Volcano Red or Champagne Gold also available but none built)
• Bright grille with Magnum Silver bonnet mesh.
• 24-Carat Gold Plated Aston Martin Wings Badges
• 10-spoke Silver painted Diamond Turned alloy wheels
• Black Brake Calliper
• Spicy Red leather with Sahara Tan stitching (Deep Purple or Chancellor Red also available but none built)
• Piano Black facia with intricate gold Inlay
• Obsidian Black carpets edged in Spicy Red leather
• Dragon seat embroidery, inspired by one on the “Nine-Dragon Wall” in Behai Park, Beijing
• Limited edition laser-etched sill plaque
• Optional cost equipment as standard: Auto-dimming rear view mirror, alarm upgrade, second glass ECU, two leather pouches
• Leather wrapped presentation box containing the owners guide, 2 glass ECUs and a customised pair of Bang & Olufsen Earphones

As I believe the Chinese market favours closed cars to convertibles, the DBS Volante Dragon 88 is the very rarest varient of this interesting special edition. Only a single example in Amethyst Red was built which was displayed at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show

Notable exterior features of the SE were the extended side sills (first seen on the N400), bright finish grille, bonnet and side sill meshes in Magnum Silver, clear rear lamps (also previewed on the N400), front parking sensors and a very attractive 10 spoke wheels. The wheels, diamond turned with a silver painted finish, were manufactured using a forging process making then 5kg lighter than the standard item. On the inside, the SE featured the lightweight carbon fibre seats with memory function (not for the US), uprated alarm, Iridium silver (instead of Graphite) on surrounds and door pulls with either Piano Black or Prism Alloy facias. Satnav was fitted as standard as was the 700W Premium Audio System and US bound cars get Satellite Radio System too. Extra details such as polished alloy tread plates, cruise control, alarm upgrade, memory mirrors, Bluetooth and Auto Dimming rear view mirror I must add for completeness.

The SE was available with either the standard manual transmission or Sportshift and in either Coupe or Roadster bodystyles. But the really neat thing about the extras on the SE, which would add about 15% to the purchase price of a V8 Vantage were that they were ‘free of charge’. The SE sold for the base list price of a standard V8 Vantage without extras what-so-ever.

The N420 could be spec’d in a choice of optional distinctive Aston Martin ‘Race Collection’ paint schemes available as an option although any colour could be specified. In addition, the N420 had the extended N400 sills, carbon fibre splitter, side strakes and diffuser plus 10-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels with gloss black finish, black mesh vents and ‘Graphitic’ tailpipe finishers.

For the interior the N420 came with the Iridium interior package, with graphite instruments, thicker rimed leather or Alcantara® sports steering wheel, special N420 sill plaques and lightweight carbon fibre seats with N420 embroidery and ‘Race Track’ stitching as in the V12 Vantage. So far as I can find, all cars had the same all Obsidian Black leather with Silver stitching, Obsidian Black carpets and Tailors Grey Alcantara headlining. It many be possible that occasional N420 cars were made with a slightly amended interior trim.

Of course in the US, the car comes with standard sports seats as the lightweight seats were not certified. Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control and Park Distance Control are also standard.

A further distinctive feature was the availability of a new range of optional Aston Martin ‘Race Collection’ paint schemes. Pairing bold body colours with contrasting hues for the cant rails and radiator grille surround, they celebrated the marque’s racing heritage. All of the company’s successful N24 Vantage racers were celebrated, with ‘Rose’ yellow, ‘Kermit’ green and ‘Elwood’ blue all featuring in the collection along with traditional Aston Martin Racing green. The white and black car shown in the accompanying images wears the equally striking ‘Asia Cup’ livery. Other options are Modena Black and GT2 Concept Blue. After seeing a car in Elwood Blue, I was hugely impressed by the quality of the two colour finish; the edges between the two colours are imperceptible to the touch.

Production of the V8 Vantage N420 began in July 2010, with deliveries soon afterwards with a UK price starting from £96,995. Aston Martin intended that no more than 420 of each body style  was built; the actually number of coupes built was 252. The ‘Race Collection’ paint finishes were actually quite a rare choice perhaps due to the not insubstantial additional cost. AMHT records now indicate some were only used on a single car.

Mother of pearl is carefully incorporated throughout the car’s interior, including down the centre of the central console, buckle badge beneath the console, on the dashboard rotary switches, sill plaque and sterling silver Q wing badges. The Aston Martin wings on the front and rear of the car are inlaid with iridescent panels of mother of pearl too.

The whole car is painted with a Q exclusive pearlescent Platinum White paint finish unique to this car.

Brief specs for the Pearl Edition

• 2018MY LHD Vanquish S with 2+2 seating arrangement, Middle Eastern spec.
• Q exclusive pearlescent Platinum White paint including roof panel & mirror caps
• 20 inch 5 spoke gloss black diamond turned lightweight wheels
• Bright side window finisher, exhaust tips and side strake, Magnum Silver meshes with Titanium meshes on the bonnet
• Black grill mesh with carbon surround
• Red rear lights and black brake callipers.
• Copper Tan and Cream Truffle interior
• Ventilated and micro perforated sports seat inserts
• Full length Twill Carbon facias, satin chrome jewellery pack with Iridium interior trim pack
• Satin Chrome centre stack rotaries with mother of pearl inlays

Although 15 might have been originally planned, onto 10 examples of the Pearl edition were ever completed before production of the Vanquish S ended.

From an entry of 220, the Vantage achieved a brilliant 4th in the SP8 class and 24th overall, driven by Dr Ulrich Bez, Chris Porritt, Aston Martin’s Vehicle Engineering Manager; Horst von Saurma, editor-in-chief of Sport Auto magazine, and development driver Wolfgang Schuhbauer. Despite the heat (perhaps hotter than Le Mans) the Vantage completed 130 laps in 24 hours. The three cars in class SP8 that finished ahead of the Aston were Dodge Viper GTS-R, Lamborghini Gallardo GTR, Audi RS 4 and were I believe all road legal full race cars.

The car used by AM was CP 025, christened Rose (from English Rose), a late confirmation prototype identical to a production car, initially road registered in April 2004. CP 025 had already had a full life as a calibration vehicle, mostly on the dyno, and as such was actually in very good shape for a prototype. Modifications for the race were limited to the full mandatory safety cage, special racing fuel tank and fire system, racing seat, slick tyres and built-in air jacks; all for safety and pit-lane efficiency. Weight was shaved off by the use polycarbonate side windows, ditching almost all of the interior trim and addition of a lightweight exhaust system. Even the trademark AM side strakes on the wing vents were lightened from 800g down to just 85. The finished car weighed 220kg less than standard model.

Only two weeks after the race, Aston Martin’s Chris Porritt kindly brought the race stained Nürburgring Vantage to the AMOC Horsfall meeting at Silverstone to take part in the parade of V8 Vantages.

In a surprise move, at the start of the British Motor Show in London on the 18th July 2006, AM announced that they are going to build just a small number of replicas of the Nürburgring Vantage specifically for track days and amateur race drivers. It was intended that as the car would be perfectly road legal, it is expected that cars will be driven to the circuit, compete and then drive home again. Of course the subsequent N24 was not sold as a road car yet could be made road legal after modification.

Shortly before Christmas 2006 (15/16th December 2006), the ‘Rose’ was in action once again in the inaugural 24 hour race of Bahrain. Drivers on this occasion were Horst von Saurma, editor-in-chief of Sport Auto magazine, development driver Wolfgang Schuhbauer and Aston Martin’s Vehicle Engineering Manager, Chris Porritt. Starting from 14th the grid of mostly motorsport homologated cars, the N24 finished in 8th overall despite the unexpected heavy rain at the Bahrain International Circuit.

‘Rose’ was again in action, this time at the Silverstone round of the 2007 FIA GT Championship competing in the first ever FIA GT4 races for effectively road legal cars. For race 1 on the Saturday, Jac Nelleman came first in the production N24 with Chris Porritt 2nd in ‘Rose’. In the second race on the Sunday morning, the cars achieved 3rd an 4th. ‘Rose’ has now competed in the 24 hour race on the Nürburgring in 2007 (41st overall, 8th in class) and 2008 (18th overall, 1st in class). And if you are wondering, this is also the very same car that James May drove through Europe looking for the finest driving roads feature on the BBC TV Top Gear programme.

‘Rose’ is still owned by AML and was proudly displayed as one of the 100 cars chosen to celebrate the 100th birthday of Aston Martin at Kensington Palace in July 2013.

The N420 was fitted with a number of normally cost-option equipment such as the extended sills that debuted on the N400, carbon fibre splitter, side strakes and diffuser, black meshes, ‘Graphitic’ tailpipe finishers and 10-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels with a gloss black finish. Lightweight carbon fibre seats were a cost-option in certain markets but not North America.

The motorsport inspired V8 Vantage N420 also came with Sports Pack suspension as standard, a new lighter sports exhaust system and with all the carbon fibre achieved up to a 27kg weight saving over the standard car, although more than half of this reduction was due to the optional lightweight seats.

The N420 could be specified in a choice of distinctive Aston Martin ‘Race Collection’ paint schemes available as a cost option, although any standard Aston Martin colour could also be chosen. This is quite unlike the previous N400 which was limited to a range of just three specific colours.

The showroom price of the N420 was approximately 10% higher than the standard V8 Vantage but represented exceptional value for money. The additional features were charged at only 60% of what they were priced if specified separately.

There were only 103 V8 Vantage N420 Roadsters built for worldwide sale making it quite a scarce car. They are also rather hard to spot with no model specific external badging; fortunately the seats have the N420 embroidered logo.

Specification for the Ultimate coupe is as follows

• 2012MY DBS with 2+2 seating configuration
• Coachwork in AML Carbon Black, Quantum Silver or Silver Fox
• Contrasting number plate surround, Gloss Carbon Black with Silver Fox, Satin Carbon Black with Quantum Silver and Carbon Black.
• Black front grille, carbon fibre mirror heads, black bonnet and side strake meshes, Zircotec black coated exhaust tailpipe finishers
• Smoked rear lamps with a darker tint than standard and black lamp surround and carbon fibre rear lamp in-fills
• Gloss Black diamond turned wheels
• Yellow brake callipers as standard; alternatively red or black
• DBS badge features a red ‘S’
• Obsidian Black leather interior, diamond quilted with a choice of bright red or silver contrast stitch
• Obsidian Black carpets bound in Obsidian Black leather
• Diamond quilt alcantara headlining
• Carbon fibre upper facia, centre console in Piano Black.
• Paddle tips trimmed in spicy red leather
• DBS seat embroidery, includes a red ‘S’ outlined in silver,
• Speaker grilles finished in anodised black
• Unique sill plaque with polished 3D effect

In total, it is believed that only 59 DBS Ultimate Coupes were built, all but one with ZF Touchtronic 2 transmission.  The sole  manual Ultimate coupe was sold in the USA and is absolutely unique and was also the last manual DBS built. The cars were sold in markets throughout the world and have thus become highly desirable to collectors of the marque.