One to Buy: the Kenn Rudd / Peter Sellers 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT
/
With its uprated short wheelbase chassis, tricked-out 302bhp engine and close-ratio four-speed gearbox, the DB4 GT was the fastest Aston Martin yet seen upon its launch at the London Motor Show in October 1959. Factor in a streamlined new body fashioned from featherweight magnesium alloy and the DB4 GT was every inch Britain’s rival to the Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta.
Aston Martin had completed 75 examples of the DB4 GT by the time production was discontinued in mid 1963. Of these, 45 were right-hand drive and 30 left-hand drive. Some customers had their cars equipped for racing, but most took delivery of cars built to road trim.
Set to go under the hammer at Bonhams’ Goodwood Festival of Speed auction on July 14th is this particularly interesting DB4 GT: chassis DB4GT/0157/R.
Delivered as a demonstrator to Ruddspeed founder and Aston Martin main dealer Kenn Rudd in Worthing on March 1st 1961, chassis 0157/R was originally painted Dubonnet and upholstered with Black interior trim. Two small rear seats were also requested – only two other DB4 GTs were completed with this rarely seen option.
While still in Ken Rudd’s ownership, 0157/R was loaned to the producers of The Wrong Arm of the Law starring Peter Sellers. Sellers character famously used the DB4 as a getaway car although the driving was done by Ken Rudd. Peter Sellers subsequently took brief ownership of 0157/R – he was a serial car owner whose white Ferrari 250 GTE also starred in The Wrong Arm of the Law.
Today chassis 0157/R is offered in superb restored condition.
For more information visit the Bonhams Motoring website at: https://cars.bonhams.com/
