A 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato is set to become the most expensive British car sold in a European auction, with the lot expected to make £15 million.
Due to be sold at the Goodwood Festival of Speed auction hosted by the Bonhams auction house on 13 July this year, this model was driven by two-time Formula One world champion Jim Clark at the Sussex-based track in 1962.
Known as ‘2 VEV’, it was raced as part of John Ogier’s Essex Racing Stable team which was a ‘quasi-Aston Martin works’ during the 60s, and was one of three lightweight versions built purely for racing. Only 19 DB4GT Zagatos were built ever.
The car was famously crashed at Goodwood in 1962 by Clark during the RAC Tourist Trophy race, when the racer careered into the path of John Surtees who was driving a Ferrari 250 GTO and both ended up in the safety barrier.
The car had previously been rebuilt following a crash at the Belgian Spa-Francorchamps circuit earlier that year and had competed at the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1961.
Following that, 2 VEV gained success in classic sports car racing in the 80s and 90s, and has garnered much praise during its 50-year plus racing career.
Bonham Group’s motoring chairman James Knight said: “Bonhams is absolutely delighted to be bringing this landmark vehicle to auction, which continues our history of offering the world's most important and celebrated sports and collectors' motor cars to market.
“It is, by some distance, the most valuable British motor car ever to be offered at a European auction, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this historically significant vehicle.”
The most expensive British car sold at any auction was a 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 that was sold in Monterrey, California, for £17.5 million last year.
