The Prince of Wales has always been a keen supporter of the Aston Martin brand with his first main introduction being his 21st birthday present from Her Majesty The Queen being an Aston Martin DB6 MKII Vantage Volante.
HRH The Prince of Wales himself must have made the choice of the car, as it was an acquired taste and great specification, even to this day.
Seychelles Blue with Black leather interior and Blue Everflex hood covering EBY 776J, but with the Vantage engine and air conditioning just made the car one of desire.
The DB6 MKII Volante was never known as a Price of Wale adaptation and to this day, no one specify there car to similar specification and calls it a Aston Martin DB6 Vantage Volante POW!
The Aston Martin DB6 MKII Vantage Volante is still in the ownership of HRH Prince of Wale and was famously used for Prince Williams wedding to Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge.
However, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Which Was A Gift From The Amir Of Bahrain,his Highness Sheikh Isa Bin Sulman Al Khalifa. HRH Prince Charles himself built this car with full instructions to his own specifications and colour combinations.
HRH Prince Charles did not like the current car being built with the large front spoiler, side skirts and flip tail, so the car was changed on the production line to his requirements.
The front spoiler was removed and a shuttle front spoiler fitted with two extra driving lights and under the bumper front fog lamps, the standard front grille was refitted.
Both side skirts were removed and the flip boot lid was reverted back to the original sweeping back end.
The rear under bumper panel was reverted back to standard.
The body colour was HRH’s own choice and was called Special British Racing Green, interior leather was specified as Mushroom leather with Green carpets and the center arm rest to be raised, the switches to me sunken into the wood veneer, a wooden steering wheel and gear knob, also a sugar cub holder in the center box, for his horses.
The car was seen in build by Victor Gauntlet and he said he would have one exactly the same with his own choice of colour’s, this took off until 22 right hand drive cars were built in total and five left hand drive Federal specification for the US market.
HRH Prince of Wales took delivery of the car on 17th July 1987 at Highgrove.
Since that day the POW specification car has been a total hit and the value has been way over the standard Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante.
Many cars have been replicated to the original car and a higher value put on the cars, but there will be nothing to replace an original Prince of Wale Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante.
The car was sold at the hype of the oil crises in September 1995 at Sotheby’s auction house in London for £111,500 to a private buyer who still owns the car today. The proceeds of the auction went to the Princes Trust Charity.
Today the Prince of Wales Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante is still a very desirable motorcar and when for sale go way over market value.
In March 1994 ordered a further Aston Martin, this time it was a Aston Martin Virage Volante and again, it would have to be to his own specification and colour scheme.
The cars order form states it was to be a standard body car but with an uprates 6.3 liter engine with a five speed manual gearbox. The car was again to be Special British Racing Green with Mushroom trim and green carpets, a green Everflex hood covering.
The brakes had to be upgraded and the suspension to handle the extra power and the bigger wheels.
The only extra option on the interior was the sugar cub holder in the center armrest for his horses’ treats.
The car was not replicated as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante was and only two other cars we built with a 6.3 engine brakes and suspension with a standard bodywork and these were never known as POW specification.
The car was the property of Aston Martin Lagonda but used by HRH Prince of Wales until 2007 when the car was returned to Aston Martin Lagonda where it was put on display in the Gaydon headquarters until 2008 when the car put into storage.
The car was then put to auction at Bonham’s Newport Pagnel sale in 2012 when it was sold to a private collector for £119,100.
The car was used very little and in December 2019 the car was again put to Bonham’s auction in London Bond Street, where it was sold for £235,750 to a private collector.
The car was taken straight to Aston Martin Works Newport Pagnel and completely gone through to bring it back to perfect driving condition at great expense. The car is used sparingly and looked after, as it should be.
For further details contact: keith@classicmobilia.com Tele: +44(0)7889 805432
Thank you to Bonhams for the photographs
