A 1962 model year Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato sold for $14.3 million, including fees, at Sotheby’s "Driven by Disruption" auction.->ke2845 Despite changing hands for less than originally estimated ($15 to $17 million), the coupe set an all-time auction record for both the model and for any British car.

One of only 19 examples built, the DB4GT Zagato->ke3836 was developed as a lighter and improved version of the DB4GT. Production spanned from 1960 to 1963, with six more chassis completed in 1991 and 2000 as "Sanction II" and "Sanction III" models.

Although powered by the same 3.7-liter, Tadek Marek inline-six as the standard DB4, the DB4GT Zagato received 74 additional horses compared to the regular coupe,->ke141 hitting the streets with 314 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. Tipping the scales at only 2,700 pounds (1,225 kg), the Zagato-bodied DB4 needed 6.1 seconds to hit 60 mph and topped out at 153 mph, figures that made it as quick as an early 1960s Ferrari.->ke252

The car in question was originally delivered to Australia, where it competed in various motorsport events. After competing successfully, chassis DB4GT/0186/R was sold to Colin Hyams, and then three years later to Alex Copland, who left it in storage for the next 20 years. In 1993, it was brought to the U.K., where it was restored and showcased at some of the world’s biggest concourse events. The car was named Best in Class at Villa d’Este in 2007 and Best of Show at the Louis Vuitton Concourse at the Hurlingham Club in 2002.

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Why it matters

While Aston Martin DB5s are known to fetch more than $1 million at auctions on a regular basis, due to their association with James Bond, DB4s aren't as popular, with very few having changed hands for more than $500,000. The DB4GT and DB4GT Zagato, however, benefit from a lot more attention from car collectors, mostly due to their production run and lightweight nature. Unlike the standard model, GTs and Zagatos can easily fetch more than $2 million depending on mileage and specification.

The model shown here is by far the most expensive Aston Martin to ever go under the hammer, and it could change the way car collectors look at 1960s British GTs. Making this benchmark that much more impressive is the fact that the DB4GT Zagato can now brag about being as expensive as the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa or the 250 GT SWB California. The Zagato-bodied coupe also dethroned the iconic McLaren F1 LM and Jaguar C-Type Lightweight, which set the previous records for British cars at $13.7 and $13.2 million respectively.

1962 Aston Martin DB4GT By Zagato

Read our full review on the 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT By Zagato here.