In 1960, Aston Martin collaborated with Zagato to build a lightweight, higher performance variant of the Aston Martin DB4 GT, to be called the DB4 GT Zagato. Initial plans called for the production of 25 units, but demand never reached expected levels. In the end, only 20 cars were produced from 1960 to 1963.

Fast forward to 1989, some 26 years after production ended. Demand for the rare DB4 GT Zagato was up, and Aston Martin still had leftover DB4 chassis from the planned production run of the original DB4 GT Zagato. Its solution? Ship the original chassis off to Zagato, to be built into DB4 GT Zagato Sanction II Coupes.

Only four of the Sanction II Coupes were built, each with a few concessions to modern standards. Per Wikipedia, the original DB4 chassis was upgraded to modern GT specs, and the Sanction II cars received a larger and more powerful straight-six engine. Output jumped from 314 horsepower on the original to 352 hp on the Sanction II Coupes.

Their exclusivity commanded a price “in excess of” $1 million per copy, and all four Sanction II Coupes quickly sold out. If you missed your chance to buy one back in the early ‘90s, you’re in luck: car number four, the final DB4 GT Zagato Sanction II Coupe built, will hit the block at Bonhams' May 19th Aston Martin sale.

Interested? You should know that the car carries a pre-auction estimate of £1.2 - £1.5 million ($1.95 - $2.4 million), so second chances don’t come cheap. If you want to see the car on display in advance of the Bonhhams auction, it will be shown at the Donington Historic Festival, scheduled for May 5th and 6th at Britain’s Donington Park.