It's been 100 years since chassis number 3, now known as A3, rolled out of Aston Martin's first facility at Abingdon Road in Kensington, London. It was the third car ever produced by Aston Martin.
To celebrate the centenary of A3, the HWM Aston Martin dealership in Walton on Thames, Surrey, collaborated with the Aston Martin Heritage Trust & Museum (AMHT) to commission three modern cars dubbed A3 Vantage Roadsters, which are now for sale.
The cost of each of these limited-edition roadsters wasn't released, and they will all likely be sold in England.
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
The original A3
The car now known as A3 was originally driven by company co-founder Lionel Martin, and it was acquired by the AMHT in 2002. It's powered by a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder side-valve engine with 11 hp. It set several records including an 84.5 mph run in 1923 at the Brooklands Circuit. A3 recently underwent a restoration to bring it as close to original factory condition as possible by Ecurie Bertelli, a renowned pre-war Aston Martin specialist.
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
A3 Vantage Roadster
Each of the three new A3 Vantage Roadsters will be painted in Onyx Black paint and feature a black square mesh grille insert and a bright aluminum surround with a heritage badge inspired by the original A3 model. Another nod to the original is the gill inserts in the front fenders. They feature exposed aluminum panels that were hand polished by Bertelli, engraved with "NO_3," and outfitted with fixed saddle leather straps. Unique 20-inch lightweight forged aluminum wheels painted gloss black were designed for these cars, and they hide bronze brake calipers.
The interior of the A3 Vantage Roadster features perforated seats with the heritage Aston Martin script embroidered on the center console lid. The Obsidian Black interior contrasts with brass trim and Chestnut Tan accents and stitching.
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
Aston Martin A3 Vantage Roadster
A3 Vantage Roadsters will be powered by the Vantage Roadster's standard Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 with 503 hp and 505 lb-ft of torque backed by an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The A3 Vantage Roadster will be shown to the public for the first time on Saturday, June 26 at the Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam, Warwickshire. A display of pre-war Aston Martin and Lagonda models, Feltham-era D2 cars, plus DB4, DB5, DB6, DBS models will also be on hand, as will V-8-powered cars from 1969-2000, the DB7, the V12 Vanquish, the One-77, and the Vulcan.
