Star vehicle

The actor Peter Sellers once played a cheeky 1960s London gangster – and loved his Aston Martin getaway car so much, he bought it. Now, this superb DB4GT is going under the hammer at Goodwood

Words by Sophy Grimshaw

“I do not sell women’s frocks in the West End, I sell ‘gowns’, mate. I’m legitimate now!” So protests Peter Sellers’ character, the gang leader Pearly Gates, to police officer ‘Nosey’ Parker in the delightfully silly 1963 comedy The Wrong Arm of the Law. The plot of the film (which also features John Le Mesurier and an uncredited cameo from a young Michael Caine) centres on an unlikely alliance of London police and thieves, teaming up against a gang of Australian criminals that has been outsmarting them all.

One of the things Sellers must have most enjoyed about making the movie was driving a 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT coupé in character as the often-fleeing Gates. When filming wrapped, the actor purchased the car from the production. The DB4GT seen in the film and subsequently owned by Sellers is now for sale once again, as a star lot in the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed sale (fans of the film might like to know that another DB4GT stood in for many of the high-speed scenes, while a third “stunt” DB4 performed the film’s famous flying jump over a bridge).

Sellers’ car may not have performed any acrobatics, but it did sustain one major injury during the course of the shoot, when its original 3.7-litre engine blew up. This was replaced at Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell factory, and the substitute was a larger, 4.0-litre Lagonda Rapide, fitted in early 1963, making it the only factory-fitted 4.0-litre DB4GT engine to date. It’s a detail that would not have been lost on the actor, described by the auction house Bonhams as “a noted car collector and aficionado of luxury marques”. It is Bonhams who will be offering Sellers’ DB4GT at auction this summer at Goodwood, with an estimate of between £2,200,000 and £2,600,000.

Sellers liked to swap his luxury cars with great frequency, and he is believed to have held onto his Wrong Arm of the Law getaway car for less than a year. According to Bonhams, it was then owned by several Aston Martin enthusiasts before being totally rebuilt and repainted Goodwood Green in 2002.

“The DB4GT is arguably Aston Martin’s finest road car,” says Bonhams’ James Knight. “It’s right up there as the ultimate 1960s GT.” And what about this particular vehicle? “It’s in great condition, has a wonderful provenance, and is offered for sale from a committed Aston Martin enthusiast. It really has all the credentials to be one of the most coveted examples.” Pearly Gates would have been thrilled.

The Aston Martin DB4GT coupé owned by Peter Sellers will be on view from Thursday 13 July during the Festival of Speed sale preview, going under the hammer on 14 July.

Silverstone 2 - 3 September 2023

Ferrari Racing Days returns to Silverstone

Enjoy an adrenaline-fueled day out at Silverstone Circuit as Ferrari Racing Days returns for a scintillating weekend of Ferrari race action, track parades and displays, including F1 cars from Ferrari’s illustrious racing heritage being put through their paces on track by the F1 Clienti.

For information on the Ferrari model range please contact your nearest Official Ferrari dealer, or scan the QR for more about Ferrari Racing Days.

Exeter

Carrs Ferrari

Tel. 01392 822 080 exeter.ferraridealers.com

Solihull

Graypaul Birmingham

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Nottingham

Graypaul Nottingham

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Charles Hurst

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Edinburgh

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Manchester

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Dick Lovett Swindon

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Glasgow

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London

H.R. Owen

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Egham

Maranello Sales

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September 2023 marks 75 years of Goodwood motorsport. Here, The Duke of Richmond looks back on unforgettable moments, while Ben Oliver charts the story of how it all started – and how Goodwood is contributing to the future of automotive innovation