24 carat gold painted Aston Martin goes on auction

The 1995 Aston Martin DB7 was painted in 24 carat gold, platinum and palladium leaf as ordered by the Italian Prince Rupoli who owned the car. This extravagant paint job is rumoured to have cost around £150,000 and is complimented by seven diamonds that encrust the bonnet. H&H Auctions will have the car available for viewing on the Friday of Race Retro before the car goes on auction on the Saturday and expect the golden marquee to be sold for between £45,000 and £55,000.

As the chosen marquee for this year’s event, the organisers are paying tribute to the 50th anniversary of its 1959 World Sports Car Championship win. Aston’s on display include the DBR1 and the amazing DBR9 LMGT1 representing the class wins at Le Man 2008 as well as the V8GT Rally car which will be in action on the Live Rally Stage with rally legend Rauno Aaltonen and three times British Rally Champion Mark Higgins at the wheel on Saturday and Sunday.

The other anniversaries being celebrated are fifty years of success on the World Motorsport stage for the Mini with the winning Morris Mini Cooper from the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally along with the victorious driver Rauno Aaltonen and the Morris Mini Cooper 997cc, the ex works car used by Rauno, Timo Makinen and driven by Paddy Hopkirk in 1963 Monte Carlo Rally will also appear along with the Mini Clubman four wheel drive.

For those who prefer two wheeled racers, there will be a tribute to 50 years of the Triumph Bonneville and racing Triumphs with an amazing display including the spectacular ‘Texas Cee-Gar’ streamliner as well as other racing Bonnevilles and racing Triumph models. Celebrity drivers and riders joining Rauno and Mark include Paddy Hopkirk, Russell Brookes, Mick Grant, Steve Parrish, Guy Martin, Rosemary Smith, Barry Whizzo Williams and Tony Mason.