1988 | Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante

• One of only three cars built to this specification

• Ordered new by the McCaig family, of Ecurie Ecosse fame

• Bespoke touches added to famous ‘Prince of Wales’ spec

• Huge history file and maintained regardless of cost

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION

Aston Martin has long been a master of bespoke specification and tailoring cars to the exact requirement of the individual customer, and this V8 Vantage Volante is the perfect example of that.

During 1987, the British marque had produced a unique Volante to the special order of HRH Prince Charles, now King Charles III, who was drawn to the extra performance of the Vantage but was put off by its extrovert bodywork. Gifted to him by Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa of Bahrain, his car therefore combined the relatively restrained styling of the standard V8 Volante with the Vantage engine and suspension, plus a host of individual touches throughout.

Not surprisingly, Aston Martin’s clients were soon asking for something similar. Among them were the McCaig brothers, who owned the famous Ecurie Ecosse racing team. Best known for twice winning the Le Mans 24 Hours during the 1950s, the Scottish outfit had been revived in the mid-1980s and was involved in Aston Martin’s AMR1 Group C programme.

For their bespoke cars, the McCaigs started with the V8 Vantage Volante. They retained that model’s ‘flip tail’ rear end and blanked-off front grille, but elsewhere applied the ‘less is more’ approach that had been used on the Prince of Wales’s car. That meant deleting the Vantage’s front spoiler, reprofiled wheelarches and sill extensions.

In total, only three were built to this specification: two for the McCaig brothers and one for another client. This particular example – chassis number ‘15665’ – is the second of those. 

A 2010 letter from Aston Martin confirms that it was built as a Vantage Volante and – quoting from a note in its factory records dated 29 April 1988 – states that the following work was carried out prior to the car being delivered to Aston Martin Sales Ltd in London: ‘Removing Vantage Volante side skirts and front spoiler. Cutting away fabricated wheelarches as requested. Prepare and respray reworked areas. Installing front and rear under-valances to suit, incorporating stainless steel side finishers.’ 

In the concluding words of that 2010 letter: ‘This means the bodywork was altered to represent PoW [Prince of Wales] specification.’

After being sold by Brooks in May 2000 at its inaugural Aston Martin Works Service auction, the Vantage Volante was treated to a bare-metal respray from its original Suffolk Red to Welsh Green, and the Tan upholstery was piped green to match. Also, its Vantage-type ‘blanked’ front panel was replaced with a normal Volante-style mesh grille. 

Its comprehensive history file is testament to how well maintained this Vantage Volante has been throughout its life. There are invoices from the likes of Aston Martin Works Service, RS Williams and Nicholas Mee, and it benefits from an unleaded engine conversion that was carried out at Newport Pagnell, plus the addition of a factory handling kit. 

The file also includes the original warranty certificate and certificate of ownership – both dated 13 May 1988 – as well as the original book of service vouchers. Now being offered for sale, this ‘Ecurie Ecosse’ V8 Vantage Volante is an extremely rare and highly collectible example of this muscular British grand tourer.