One to Buy: 240 mile Stronsay Silver 2004 Aston Martin DB AR1
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Because the DB7 Zagato Coupe launched in late 2002 was not type approved for sale in the lucrative US market, Aston Martin created a spectacular roof-less limited edition dubbed the DB AR1.
Publicly unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show in January 2003, the DB AR1 came with all the high performance equipment found on the manual DB7 GT and automatic GTA, but unlike the fixed head DB7 Zagato (which was officially only produced with a manual gearbox), the America Roadster could be specified with either a traditional gated six-speed ‘box or Aston Martin’s five-speed Touchtronic semi-automatic transmission.
Limited to 100 production units, the DB AR1 reputedly sold out in less than a month as collectors clamoured to get their hands on this, the fifth iteration of the Aston Martin-Zagato collaboration since 1960.
Understandably, many DB AR1s were tucked away to be preserved as investment pieces and, in the years that followed, accumulated minimal mileage as per this example which will be going under the hammer at Broad Arrow Auctions’ Zoute Concours d’Elegance sale in Belgium on October 9th.
Configured in the unusual combination of Stronsay Silver with Claret Red and Charcoal upholstery, chassis SCFAE62363K800084 was the 84th DB AR1 built and also came with the highly desirable six-speed manual gearbox. Delivered through Aston Martin of Atlanta, it was supplied new to MedQuest founder and CEO, Gene Venesky of Alpharetta, Georgia, on September 1st 2004.
Venesky retained chassis ‘84’ until September 2009, at which time the odometer read just 74 miles. Since then, the car has passed through the hands of three further owners (one in Germany and two in Belgium). Its most recent service was carried out by Aston Martin Antwerp in March 2026 at just 240 miles which was chassis ‘84’s odometer reading at the time of cataloguing. It is accompanied by the original book pack, tool kit, two keys and numbered car cover.
