Aston Martin has reached into its color archive for a new collection of five one-off cars commissioned by Aston Martin Newport Beach through Q by Aston Martin.
Known collectively as the Heritage Edition collection, the five 2027-model-year cars revive paint colors originally associated with Aston Martins of the 1960s and 1970s. Each historic finish has been recreated using the company’s current paint technology and paired with a different model from Aston Martin’s contemporary sports car range.
The collection includes a DB12 Volante in Pale Primrose, DB12 Coupe in Pacific Blue, Vanquish in Tudor Green, Vantage Coupe in Winchester Blue and Vantage Roadster in Mink Silver.
Each is a one-of-one commission and, according to Aston Martin, these five cars are currently the only examples of its modern production models painted in their respective heritage colors.
The interiors have also been coordinated by Q rather than relying solely on the unusual exterior finishes. All five receive bespoke Q perforated fluted seats, Heritage Aston Martin logo embroidery on the center armrest and Heritage Edition sill plaques. The DB12 Coupe, DB12 Volante and Vanquish add Dark Walnut Open Pore Wood inlays.
Beyond those shared details, however, it’s the individual colors and their histories that define the collection.
Pale Primrose – DB12 Volante
Pale Primrose is among the more recognizable colors in Aston Martin’s historic palette and is used here on the DB12 Volante.
The pale yellow predates the DB5 with which colors of this period are often associated. Aston Martin featured Pale Primrose on the cover of its 1958 DB4 sales brochure, helping establish the shade early in the DB4’s production life.
Its visibility extended beyond full-size Aston Martins. Corgi subsequently selected the color for an Aston Martin scale model, which helped inspire the company’s famous James Bond DB5 toy during the mid-1960s.
For the Heritage Edition, the color has been applied to the DB12 Volante, pairing one of Aston Martin’s softer period colors with its current open-top grand tourer.
The DB12 Volante is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 671 hp.
Pacific Blue – DB12 Coupe
The DB12 Coupe receives Pacific Blue, a historic color with connections to three generations of Aston Martin’s classic DB-series cars.
Originally available on the DB4, Pacific Blue subsequently appeared on the DB5 and DB6.
Rather than create a modern approximation of the shade, Q by Aston Martin referenced an original Pacific Blue sample preserved in a historic DB6 color configuration brochure. That sample was used as the basis for recreating the finish with modern paint materials.
Here it covers the DB12 Coupe, powered by the same 671-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 as the Volante.
Tudor Green – Vanquish
For the flagship Vanquish, Q selected Tudor Green.
The metallic green is associated primarily with Aston Martins of the 1970s, making it a somewhat later reference than Pale Primrose or Pacific Blue. Its deeper character also suits the larger proportions and more traditional front-engine layout of the current Vanquish.
The combination is particularly appropriate given the Vanquish’s position within the modern Aston Martin range. While most of the company’s current lineup has moved to V8 power, the Vanquish retains a V12.
Its 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged engine produces 824 hp, with Aston Martin quoting a top speed of 214 mph.
Winchester Blue – Vantage Coupe
The Vantage Coupe is finished in Winchester Blue, another color closely connected to Aston Martin’s 1970s era.
The shade takes its name from the cathedral city of Winchester in Hampshire and was part of a series of colors named for British towns.
More significantly for this particular commission, Winchester Blue became associated with the original V8 Vantage. That connection makes the modern Vantage Coupe a logical destination for the revived color.
Today’s Vantage is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 656 hp.
Mink Silver – Vantage Roadster
The fifth car takes its inspiration from a subtler 1960s color.
Mink Silver is a pale metallic shade particularly associated with the DB6. Aston Martin says more than 100 DB6s were originally painted in Mink, making it a relatively familiar sight during the model’s production period.
For the Heritage Edition collection, Q has applied the color to the Vantage Roadster.
The Roadster shares the Coupe’s 656-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 but combines it with an electrically operated folding soft top.
Together, the five cars illustrate an increasingly interesting side of factory personalization programs. While bespoke divisions were once primarily about creating new colors and materials, access to a manufacturer’s own archive has made historical accuracy another form of exclusivity.
In this case, Q isn’t simply creating five colors that look appropriately vintage. Pacific Blue was recreated with reference to an original DB6 color sample. Winchester Blue returns to a Vantage decades after becoming associated with the original V8 Vantage. Pale Primrose traces its Aston Martin history back to the DB4, while Mink Silver and Tudor Green reference distinct periods in the company’s 1960s and 1970s catalogs.
None are being returned to the regular Aston Martin palette.
Instead, Pale Primrose, Pacific Blue, Tudor Green, Winchester Blue and Mink Silver have each been used for a single car in the Heritage Edition collection. All five one-of-one commissions will be offered exclusively through Aston Martin Newport Beach.
