Aston Martin
DB2/4 Spider by Bertone (Arnolt)

Why it matters

The Bertone-bodied DB2/4s were a small series commissioned through the Chicago dealer Stanley Arnolt, who bought into Carrozzeria Bertone and wanted Aston Martin built alongside his Arnolt-MG and Arnolt-Bristol. RM Sotheby's says Aston Martin sent six bare chassis, which became three Spiders, one coupe and two drophead coupes; another lot refers to seven Bertone-bodied Astons.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Arnolt met Nuccio Bertone at the 1952 Turin Motor Show, bought a stake in the firm and joined its board. After the DB2/4 was launched at the 1953 London Motor Show, he persuaded David Brown to supply six bare chassis. The result was three Spiders, one coupe and two drophead coupes. The two drophead coupes were styled by Giovanni Michelotti and are described as more restrained than the Spiders.

The coupe, chassis LML/765, was ordered in August 1954 and delivered in January 1955. An RM Sotheby's catalogue says Aston Martin refused to supply further chassis, and Bertone showed the coupe at the 1957 and 1958 Turin shows, probably hoping to win the DB4 body commission that went to Touring. The cached catalogues cover the drophead coupes and coupe in detail but say little about the Spiders themselves.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Bertone-bodied DB2/4s were marketed as Arnolt-Aston Martins and carry the normal LML chassis prefix, for example LML/506 (drophead coupe) and LML/765 (coupe). Their designs differ from car to car. The sources describe the drophead coupes as less flamboyant than the Spiders, with exposed headlights either side of a large nose intake carrying a five-bar grille. No source in the cached set describes Spider-specific identification features.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   RM Sotheby's – 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Competition Spider by Bertone Level B

   • 3 Bertone-bodied DB2/4 competition spiders for Arnolt (odd-numbered chassis 503, 505, 507 of a batch of five)

   Accessed 2026-11-12