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Bonham's will auction Paul McCartney's old Aston Martin DB5

At the company's Bond Street, London auction, Bonham's will offer a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 that is possibly one the most British cars around. Not only is it an example of a classic British sports car known for being driven by James Bond, this exact car was purchased new by Sir Paul McCartney. And as an added bonus, it was also previously owned by former Top Gear host Chris Evans. According to Bonham's, McCartney ordered the car after The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and after finishing the Hard Day's Night movie. It was originally finished in blue with a black leather interior, which you can see here. It came with a couple of nice touches for a musician, as well. It had a Philips Auto-Mignon automotive record player installed, one of which remains with the car. The auction company also mentions a rumor that the leather had stitched-in musical notes. McCartney kept the car for about six years after buying it in 1964, and he seemed to have driven it a fair bit. When the clutch was replaced in 1970, the odometer read a bit over 40,000 miles, which is impressive considering how much traveling McCartney was surely doing with The Beatles. The car changed hands a number of times in subsequent years. In 2002, it was restored and once again finished in blue with a black interior. It wasn't until its second restoration that started around 2012 and 2013 that the color scheme changed to silver with a dark red interior. That restoration wrapped up this year and included updates to the engine that increased displacement from 4.0 liters to 4.2 liters and upped compression. The results are an engine that jumped from 282 horsepower to 315 horsepower and from 280 pound-feet of torque to 305. The car will be auctioned on December 2 at the Bond Street auction in London. Bonham's predicts the car will go for between $1.6 million and $2 million. Interestingly, that's only a little above Hagerty Insurance's estimate of $1.4 million for a concours-quality DB5. It's also substantially more than the roughly $500,000 this exact car sold for back in 2012. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1964 Aston Martin DB5 owned by Paul McCartney View 13 Photos Image Credit: Bonhams Aston Martin Auctions Coupe Classics bonhams chris evans aston martin db5

The legendary Aston Martin DB4 GT is reborn

The trend of resurrecting ghostly automobile legends continues with Aston Martin, which announced Friday it's building a limited run of 25 more DB4 GTs. Originally built from 1959 to 1963, the DB4 GT was among the most powerful British cars of its era and a precursor to the modern supercar. Just 75 DB4 GTs were built during the first run. The GT model was lighter and more powerful than the stock DB4, giving it excellent racing chops. Stirling Moss drove the GT to victory at Silverstone in its competition debut in '59. It's a rare breed with a deep lineage. Within that first batch, just eight even lighter-weight models were built, and Aston is using those as the basis for its continuation series. The company says it will build them in Newport Pagnell in England, its headquarters for decades and now home to the Aston Martin Works heritage division. The DB4 GT continuation brings assembly work back to Newport Pagnell for the first time since production of the Vanquish S left in 2007. The original DB4 GT was produced on this site. The new cars will wear VIN numbers that pick up from the end of the first run in '63. They will use a version of the Tardek Marek-designed straight six-cylinder engine making an SAE-rated 331 horsepower with three twin-choke Weber carburetors. Though it's a straight six like the original, Aston started "from scratch" with the new one, a spokesman said, drawing on the DB11's supplier for the castings. Modern elements, like an FIA-spec roll cage, fire extinguisher, and seat belts will also be added. It will weigh 2,706 pounds. The DB4 GT employs a four-speed David Brown manual gearbox. The car rides on a tubular frame with an independent front suspension; the rear is a Watts linkage setup and both use coil springs. The fuel tank holds 36 gallons, which should prove useful for racing. In that vein, these 25 will be track-only models, and buyers will be able to participate in an international driving program that spans two years and visits circuits like Yas Marina. Owners can receive training from Aston experts like Darren Turner, who counts several class victories at Le Mans. The cost? About $1.9 million at the prevailing exchange rates as of this writing. Aston will begin delivering the DB4 GTs in summer 2017. It joins the growing field of nostalgic continuations, like the Jaguar XKSS, that pick up where the original lineage left off.

Enterprise adds Aston Martin DB9, Rapide S to rental fleet

It'll cost you at least $100k to put your name on the title of a new Aston Martin, but if you just want one for the day Enterprise will soon be able to hook you up. The car rental company just announced a deal with the British automaker to bring its grand touring to locations across the US as part of its Exotic Car Collection. Enterprise will place the DB9 and Rapide S initially in select markets, including Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, SoCal, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Las Vegas. So if you're anywhere above the Mason-Dixon line, you'll have to sit tight. While Enterprise has locations in Boston, Indianapolis, Seattle, Toronto, and DC (not to mention Nashville and Austin), those fleets aren't getting their Astons just yet. Enterprise can also hook you up with a variety of other exotic machinery, including an Audi R8, BMW i8, Bentley Continental GT, Chevy Corvette, Ferrari California, Jaguar F-Type, Maserati GranTurismo or Porsche 911. Prices vary, but they're not cheap. Related Video: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Aston Martin Agreement Offers Exotic Car Collection Renters New High-End Vehicles ST. LOUIS, April 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ever dreamed of getting behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB9 or Rapide S? Starting today, Enterprise Rent-A-Car can make that dream come true. The brand has announced an agreement with Aston Martin that brings the DB9 and Rapide S sports cars to the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise, in select locations throughout the U.S. Through the agreement, Enterprise Holdings, the world's largest car rental company and which owns the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand, will carry the largest fleet of Aston Martin vehicles available for rent compared to any other car rental company. The Exotic Car Collection was founded in 2006 to meet customer demand for luxury vehicle rentals. Today, there are more than 30 locations in cities throughout the country, and expansion into new markets throughout North America continues at a rapid pace. "We pride ourselves on providing high-end renters with access to some of the most sought-after vehicles on the planet, and our consistent growth continues to reinforce strong demand for these luxury rentals," said Brice Adamson, senior vice president, Enterprise Holdings. "This agreement with Aston Martin is a terrific addition to our Collection.