Registering an Old Car for Public Use
By the start of this decade, Aston Martin conducted business differently than it does today. In comparison to the present, its financial status was much weaker and its number of vehicles less diverse, devoid of quite stimulating models such as Valkyrie and Valhalla. Nonetheless, way back in 2009, the posh automaker recognised it had to devise a sports utility vehicle if it wanted it fortunes to turn around, leading to the construct of the LUV notion – which would precede the DBX a long time ago.
The vehicle was partly created through the contribution of Mercedes-Benz. The platform was obtained from the Mercedes GL-Class, though it was modified to be able to hold a 5.9-liter V12 engine sourced from Aston Martin – the very same found in the DB9 and DBS models of that era. As this concept-car ‘LUV’ (Luxury Utility Vehicle) intended to foretell the fate of the Lagonda marque, it sadly never passed the concept stage.
Believe it or not, this unique automobile is currently available for purchase; yet, we should mention a few details. To begin with, obviously, this vehicle hasn’t had official registration to be employed in public domains; therefore, operating it is not allowed. In principle, it could be modified to become legally appropriate; however, the next holder of this car would have to succeed in necessary examinations, which may necessitate modifications to its characteristics.
Subsequent to registering for public roads usage, you may be required to carry out some repairs and upkeep. Accordingly, the owner has indicated that there’s an issue with the electronics resulting in an inability to commence it. The cause of this predicament could potentially be as plain as a dissipated battery; yet, due to its uniqueness, replacement components are rare. Considerably though, it ought to be comforting to realize that when the vehicle was owned by Aston Martin, it was functional under its own capacity.
Lastly, it is important to remember that this prototype was featured during the 2009 Geneva Motor Show when Lagonda celebrated its centenary. In other words, you could now possess a piece of Aston Martin tradition and the excellent news is that it does not come at an exorbitant price tag as only one specimen exists. As the Collecting Cars auction ends in six days, this LUV concept will set you back £12,750 which translates to around $15,820 with the exchange rate at present. Quite a bargain for a V12 powered Aston Martin Sport Utility Vehicle display car, wouldn’t you say?
Source: Collecting Cars
