This unique Ogle-designed Aston Martin built for tobacco-product promotion during 1970s

Weird ONES Once upon a time, if you looked in amazement at the unusual Ogle Aston Martin while it launched and sat on display at the Montreal Motor Show in January 1972. Maybe you would wrinkled your forehead and thought how could Aston Martin have such an odd-shaped car. Then who came up with the idea to make a car like this?

The Aston Martin DBS V8 'Sotheby Special' by Ogle Design was designed and built during 1971 under the guidance of Tom Karen with financial support from the tobacco company, W.D. & H.O. Wills Ltd. (Picture from: AstonMartins)

Well, the person behind the idea of this unique car development is David Ogle in the 1960's but it wasn't until after his death that the project really evolved to a finished car. It is known that Ogle Design built three units of this unique car during 1972 to 1973.

The 2nd road car of 1972 Aston Martin DBS V8 'Sotheby Special' by Ogle Design with plate number of GHU120K. (Picture from: AstonMartins)

As quoted from Aston Martins, the first car was the finished rolling show car under chassis number of DBSV8/10380/R got the finishing of resplendent in dark blue with exquisite gold pin striping was unveiled as one of the visitor's centrepiece of the Montreal Motor Show 1972, then a couple of months later it also appeared at the 1972 Geneva Salon. Due to the unique shape that had impressed Motor Magazine as they chose it to be the cover of their January 15th, 1972 issue.

The 2nd road car of 1972 Aston Martin DBS V8 'Sotheby Special' by Ogle Design in the Imperial Tobacco ‘Embassy’ cigarette brand colours of white with a logo of red triangles. (Picture from: Paul Rice on Flickr)

The car built based on a DBS V8 chassis, the bodywork was constructed from glass-fibre and above the waistline is totally formed from glass supported on a tubular frame of Reynolds 531 (as also used on the very best bicycle frames at the time). The rear panel was made of a single sheet of brushed stainless steel with 22 holes cut into it for the rear lamps. The harder the driver braked, the more lights were illuminated. The headlights are hidden by panels that drop down when the lamps are in use.

The Aston Martin DBS V8 'Sotheby Special' by Ogle Design has a single sideways rear seat which must make this the only post war Aston Martin models with three seater. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)

Still from the same quote as above, unfortunately, the original Sotheby Special motor show car was partially stripped for parts and put into store; never road-registered, it has been hidden from view for over 40 years. Currently the condition is not intact, as can be seen here, it roten and rusted lying on the lawn under the sunlight.

Here's the original Sotheby Special motor show car was partially stripped for parts and put into store; never road-registered, it has been hidden from view for over 40 years. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

Aston Martin known also provided Ogle Design a second chassis, DBSV8/10381/RC, which did became a fully finished road car in May 1972. This unique Aston Martin car was designed and built in 1971 by under the guidance of Tom Karen as Ogle's successor with financial support from the tobacco company, W.D. & H.O. Wills Ltd. The car became known as The Sotheby's Special and finished in dark blue with gold pinstripes in order to promote their premium cigarette brand.

The original Sotheby Special motor show car got the finishing of resplendent in dark blue with exquisite gold pin striping. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

As the brand failed, the car with plate number of GHU120K, was repainted in the Imperial Tobacco ‘Embassy’ cigarette brand colours of white with a logo of red triangles. During this time, it was not unusual to see the car at top race meetings as Imperial Tobacco were a major sponsor of the ill fated Embassy Hill Formula 1 racing team. Also of note is that the car has a single sideways rear seat which must make this the only post war Aston Martin models with three seater.

The rear panel of the original Sotheby Special motor show car was made of a single sheet of satin stainless steel with 22 holes cut into it for the rear lamps. (Picture from: AstonMartins)

Besides that it has proved very elusive to us to this day, the road car has many detail differences to the show car, and the most noticeably is that it has its windscreen, side and rear windows are Triplex glass with it’s special lined coating to reduce glare from the sun. It was lastly seen in public at the Aston Martin Centenary Celebration at Kensington Palace in July 2013, and known is held in a private collection somewhere in the UK.

The 3rd road car of the Aston Martin DBS V8 'Sotheby Special' by Ogle Design based on a slightly later AM V8 automatic chassis, was also built as the result of a request of a private customer in 1973. (Picture from: AstonMartins)

Following an appearance on the BBC TV programme, Tomorrows World, an anonimous wealthy lady was determined to own an Aston Martin Ogle of her own and, after much persuasion, she was able to obtain an AM V8 rolling chassis from AML and convinced Ogle to build the third car with plate number of GRA679.

The 3rd road car of 1973 Aston Martin DBS V8 'Sotheby Special' by Ogle Design with plate number of GRA679. (Picture from: ClassicMobilia)

Reportedly, the car's price was very high indeed of £28,750 when the standard car was only £8,749. The last time this car appeared in public was when it was included in the list of cars sold in the Christies auction at Retromobile 2005, and is now part of a private collection overseas.

The problem with a car such as the Ogle that so closely follows fashion, is that it can start to look outdated very quickly, due to its looks was very 70's' style. But despite it’s looks, the reduction in weight by having a fibreglass body made the Ogle significantly quicker than the standard DBS V8. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ASTONMARTINS | CARSTYLING.RU | CLASSICMOBILIA | MOTORTREND | STORY-CARS ]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.

Kindly Bookmark and Share it: