Classic Aston Martin owned by WWII Enigma decoder put up for auction

An Aston Martin DB5 first registered to a Bletchley Park codebreaker is set to sell for as much as £400,000.

The 1964 Sports Saloon carries an estimate of £350,000 to £400,000 at the H&H Classics sale at Sandown Park, Surrey, on Thursday, 10 December.

Its first owner was P.H. Manners Wood Esq., a member of the team that decoded and translated Enigma messages during the Second World War.

Wood worked within Air Ultra Intelligence, interpreting decoded Enigma messages at Bletchley Park, which allowed the Allies to gain valuable intelligence from German transmissions.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower credited the group he belonged to with speeding up the end of the conflict.

Only two other owners have held the car since that period, and the present keeper has owned the DB5 for 56 years.

In all, the Sports Saloon has covered 94,000 miles from new and comes equipped with its original interior and ‘matching numbers’ engine.

It even has its original green logbook, factory build sheet and heritage certificate.

Paul Cheetham, senior motor car specialist at H&H Classics, said: “James Bond was not the only British Intelligence Officer to take delivery of an Aston Martin DB5 during 1964, as seen with this wonderful example first owned by Mr Manners Wood.

“We are delighted to be entrusted with the auction of this notably original example, which is sure to attract strong interest from collectors and enthusiasts.”

Elsewhere in automotive auction news, a Peel P50 – officially recognised as the world's smallest production car – is expected to fetch as much as £60,000.

Iconic Auctioneers, of Ashorne, Warwickshire, has put an estimate of £40,000 to £60,000 on the microcar, which goes under the hammer on 14 November.

The three-wheeled vehicle measures just 4.5ft long and 3.5ft wide – enough room for one adult and one shopping bag.

Fewer than 30 survive today, making them coveted by wealthy petrolheads.

The olive green car now being sold was imported new into Finland in 1964, and stayed there until earlier this year.

Alex Lucocq, car specialist at Iconic Auctioneers, added: “The Peel P50 holds a special place in the hearts of many car enthusiasts and collectors.

“In the past 20 years, it has achieved something of a cult-like status. Well-known car personalities like Jeremy Clarkson have sung its praises, and for good reason – it represents the brilliance, creativity and eccentricity of the British car industry in the early 1960s.

“This desirability and the vehicle’s scarcity – only 30 are thought to exist today worldwide, with them rarely coming to market – means an original, authentic Peel P50 is today often worth more than many British sports cars of the era.”