VIN: the Rowan Atkinson / Nick Mason Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato chassis 20015
History of chassis 20015
Of the 50 Zagato-bodied V8 Vantages built between 1986 and 1987, only two were originally painted Swift Azure.
One was right-hand drive with Dark Blue upholstery (chassis 20015) while the other was left-hand drive with Grey upholstery (chassis 20060).
In October 1986, chassis 20015 was displayed on the Aston Martin stand at the Birmingham Motor Show.
It was purchased by English comedian and actor, Rowan Atkinson.
After getting his big break at the BBC in 1979 with a series of shows called The Atkinson People, the renowned comic went on to purchase several Aston Martins.
Atkinson subsequently made appearances on Not the Nine O’Clock News, after which he spent much of the 1980s portraying the lead role in the world famous comedy series, Blackadder.
Chassis 20015 followed an Aston Martin V8 and a V8 Vantage. The Zagato was registered D288 FYL and, in September 1987, appeared in Car magazine where it went head-to-head with a Ferrari 288 GTO (chassis 55671).
The feature included track time at Castle Combe. Journalist Gavin Green wrote:
“Rowan Atkinson, kitted out in crushed linen suit, large spectacles and Rolex watch, climbs into the passenger chair. He shows no sign of nerves as we accelerate up Castle Combe’s main straight. The high-geared steering feels sharp, responsive. It’s a power-assisted system – boosted enough to make tight parking manoeuvres feasible, yet not so light as seriously to diminish the communication between the vast front tyres and the tiny steering wheel. The power assistance insulates some of the bumps and kickback, but your wrists and fingers learn everything they need to know to keep the beast correctly on course.
The Zagato, unlike the GTO, was never meant for the circuit. This is no Group B racer, no homologation special built to allow a few highly tuned variants access to racing glory. Whereas Ferrari trumpeted on about a potentially glorious racing career for the GTO – but then proceeded to keep it well away from the cut and thrust of the track – Aston Martin was far less cynical. Its car is not meant to dice with 959s and other Group B specials on the circuit; its is imply built as a bespoke, tiny volume, very fast, road car.
The intrinsic differences between the cars, clearly evident at Castle Combe, are even more noticeable on the road. The GTO is the civilised racer; the Aston the muscular grand tourer that’s not averse to being thrashed down a winding secondary”
During 1989, chassis 20015 appeared alongside Atkinson, Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson in the film The Tall Guy. The Aston Martin starred in several scenes for which it was equipped with the registration plate COM 1C.
Rowan Atkinson sold the blue Vantage after he was caught speeding at around 140mph. The judge handed down a driving ban of two years.
Chassis 20015 was subsequently purchased by Pink Floyd drummer, Nick Mason, and registered AML 230.
During the late 1990s (by which time Mason had sold the car), 20015 was converted to left-hand drive, repainted dark blue and fitted with a seven-litre engine.
In 1998, Rowan Atkinson went on to purchase a second Zagato-bodied V8 Vantage which he raced in AMOC events (chassis 20013).
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Aston Martin - https://www.astonmartin.com
