Joining Ferrari, Maserati and others, Aston Martin unveiling the Assured Provenance certification program to comprehensively assess the background of its heritage sports cars. Offered as a service to heritage car owners and collectors, the Assured Provenance certification program will be administered and run by the brand’s in-house heritage car facility — Aston Martin Works.
As the first official authentication program to be provided in-house by Aston Martin, the new arrangement offers four levels of verification to take into account not simply all-original examples, but also sports cars that have been modified by Aston Martin itself over the years.
Every car will be assessed at Aston Martin’s heritage restoration, service and repair facility — Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire — where they will undergo a visual and mechanical investigation. All cars submitted to the process will also undergo a digital scan which will be verified and held in a secure archive for future reference.
The findings of the inspections, along with a full provenance record, will then be presented to the newly created Sanctioning Committee for its deliberations. The Sanctioning Committee evaluating each car and delivering its verdict comprises experts from Aston Martin including Aston Martin Works’ staff.
Successful cars will then be awarded one of four levels of Assured Provenance ranging from Platinum to Bronze depending on their condition, history and significance. Owners of successful cars in the Assured Provenance process will be supplied with a hand-crafted presentation case comprising an illustrated photographic record book, Heritage Assured Provenance certificate, USB with digital data and two sets of dashboard and sill plaques.
The official verification and authentication certification process involves a two-stage fee: one to initially enter the car for consideration and a further fee should the car be successful.
Paul Spires, Managing Director of Aston Martin Works, said, “The values of many Aston Martin heritage models are now such that a formal, officially sanctioned and operated, provenance certification scheme is a natural development for the brand. As with everything we do here at Aston Martin Works we will take the utmost care to painstakingly assess each car submitted to this process, thereby allowing the Sanctioning Committee to make a fully informed decision about the cars put forward for consideration.”
The first cars being submitted for authentication will be received within the next few weeks, with the first meeting of the Sanctioning Committee set to take place this month.
[Source: Aston Martin; photo: Julien Mahiels]
