Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé Bertone

Vehicle Overview

The Bertone-bodied Aston Martins of the 1950s paired Italian design flair with solid British engineering. The collaboration was significant, eventually paving the way for the Touring-styled DB4, 5, and 6, and the special Zagato-bodied DB4 GTs. One of only two DB2/4 chassis built with this striking convertible body style, and possessing a fascinating provenance, LML/506 is an important coachbuilt Aston Martin from the early years of the David Brown era. The Aston Martin DB2 debuted in 1950 with elegant yet typically British conservative styling. Based in Chicago, S.H. “Wacky” Arnolt made his money in steel, later diversifying into automobile distribution. Wacky loved foreign cars, and at the 1951 Torino Auto Show he struck a deal with Carrozzeria Bertone to build some custom-bodied MG TDs and later a limited number of Aston Martin DB2/4s. This spectacular Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé Bertone is among this exclusive group of Bertone-bodied Aston Martins. According to factory records, chassis LML/506 was completed by Aston Martin on June 9, 1953, and dispatched to Carrozzeria Bertone in Torino on November 16th. While Nuccio Bertone had in-house stylist Franco Scaglione design three DB2/4 Spiders (LML/503, LML/505, and LML/507), the two Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé Bertone – chassis LML/504 and LML/506 – have long been attributed to freelance designer Giovanni Michelotti. Not only did these two virtually identical cars possess a decidedly Italian flair, they maintained traditional Aston Martin design cues, including the firm’s distinctively shaped radiator grille. Both cars were built to the highest standards, with extraordinary attention to detail and luxurious appointments throughout.

Photo courtesy of Gooding & Company.