2013 Aston Martin Jet 2+2

£2,750,000 from Classicmobilia, Milton Keynes, UK

Commissioned by british collector and Aston Martin enthusiast Barry Weir, this one-off shooting-brake version of the Rapide was built by Bertone in 2013. The idea was inspired by the earlier 2004 Jet 2 concept and came to fruition following a chance encounter between Weir and a group of Bertone employees at Venice’s Marco Polo airport in the summer of 2012.

With an agreement forged to build the car, and a few drawings hastily sketched on some coffee-shop napkins, a Rapide donor vehicle was sent over to Turin at the end of 2012. Bertone built the fully functioning vehicle in a little over three-and-a-half months, ready for its international debut at the Geneva motor show. Over 70% of the car is standard Rapide so it drives very much like any other, but significant work was undertaken at the rear end to extend the roof and heighten the haunches. Considering the timescale, it’s a brilliantly executed conversion. It looks as if it could have been built by Aston Martin itself.

Rear passengers will thank you for the extra headroom, if not the legroom given that the wheelbase is unchanged from the Rapide’s. The rear load area has more usable space, and features folding rear seats and an electric sliding floor that extends to provide a fulllength load bay. A dimmable panoramic glass roof gives the lavishly trimmed interior a spacious feel.

Aston Martin was fully supportive of the car when it was built, and even considered putting the Jet 2+2 into small-scale production. Bertone itself had planned a small run of ten but ran into financial trouble before it happened. This makes this stunning shooting brake not only unique, but also the last car ever to be built by Bertone.

A twist to this story came when Aste Bolaffi had the painful task of auctioning what remained at the Bertone factory. The original clay model and moulds required to reproduce the Jet’s unique bodywork were uncovered and Weir secured them before they were auctioned. He is offering these by separate negotiation, ensuring that the next owner could repair the car if necessary. In theory, the buyer could build more shooting brakes using the moulds, or simply preserve this car’s uniqueness by ensuring they are not used.