“Imagine if a Hemi Roadrunner was built by Bentley…”

The true V8 Vantage supercar version of Aston Martin’s standard-bearer (simply known as the V8) was never sold new in the United States due to emissions regulations, as the fire-breathing 4x2 Weber carburetors and low-restriction exhaust were never to be compliant. Sharing the same aluminum body shell as the V8, the V8 Vantage featured aggressive body upgrades that improved high-speed stability, and it was easily distinguished by its blanked-off grille and hood scoop, forcing airflow through the front valance for superior cooling. (The V8 Vantage model was still offered in the U.S. featuring the body updates but equipped with the standard fuel-injected engine producing a comparatively meager 300 brake horsepower. In addition, U.S.-delivered V8s were fitted with ungainly “5 mph” bumpers required by DOT regulations.)

The most powerful and highly refined of all V8s was the final, European-specification Series III V8 Vantage, built from 1986 through 1989, which utilized the factory-designated aluminum 580X engine block, also known as “X-Pack,” a reference to its 4x2 Weber carburetor setup. The last carbureted production engine built by Aston Martin, this mighty mill squeezed 432 horsepower from 5.3 liters with its high-compression Cosworth pistons, larger valves and intake manifold, and so-called “Zagato-X-Pack-specification” camshafts, with resulting performance now achieving that of a genuine 200-mph supercar. Numerous interior refinements were featured as well, enhancing luxury to go along with speed. Shockingly expensive when new, only 137 cars were manufactured to this ultimate Series III specification, less than one built per week during its production run.

This example, chassis number 12564, was delivered on August 1, 1987, to Stephen G. Westwell by Murray Motor Company, the official Aston Martin agent in Edinburgh, Scotland. Originally finished in Suffolk Red over Magnolia, it was fitted from new with the desirable five-speed ZF manual transmission. The car is accompanied by a stamped maintenance booklet showing that it has enjoyed continuous service and enthusiast ownership, with early service carried out by the factory Works Service Department and later documented with maintenance history from other noted specialists.

In its last registered ownership, by a prominent Norwegian Aston Martin collector, the car received a full cosmetic restoration, including fresh paint in the elegant, period-correct color of Balmoral Green, a fresh interior by noted U.K. marque specialists Lincoln Scott, and new Magnolia upholstery now elegantly piped green, finished to the highest standards using proper Connolly-type leather and matching green Wilton carpeting, which presents today as new. It was converted from right-hand drive to left-hand drive at this time, to exacting benchmarks of authenticity.

The car has been recently serviced by U.S. marque specialists and presents and performs superbly in every way, with about 60,000 miles recorded at the time of cataloguing. In addition to the aforementioned service booklet, it is accompanied by its original owner’s manual and warranty booklet, as well as a factory jack and tool set.

Not legal in the U.S. until reaching the 25-year exemption for imported cars, this is one of the first true factory X-Pack coupes to be offered publicly stateside, believed the very first to come to a collector car auction on these shores. It is a superb example of the ultimate Aston Martin V8, in its rarest and fiercest iteration, and represents tremendous value in today’s market compared with just about any DB-series Aston of the previous era.