Aston Martin
DBS DBS/5636/R "BS 1" (The Persuaders! Lord Brett Sinclair car)

Why it matters

The DBS was billed as the 'third star' of The Persuaders!, the 1971–72 ITC series pairing Roger Moore and Tony Curtis, and appeared in almost every episode. It is the only DBS of the series and one of the best-known British TV cars of the 1970s. Its 2014 sale set a world auction record for a DBS.

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

The car was built in spring 1970 and first registered PPP 6H on 15 May 1970. Aston Martin was asked by the producers to provide a car for Lord Brett Sinclair; with no V8 available in time, a six-cylinder DBS in Bahama Yellow was given V8 hubs, alloy wheels and badges, and a works mechanic stayed on set. On screen it wore borrowed 'BS 1' plates; its real plate shows briefly in 'The Gold Napoleon'. Its best-known scene is a race against Tony Curtis's Ferrari Dino from Nice Airport to Monaco.

After about 5,000 miles of filming the car returned to Aston Martin Works and was sold through H R Owen to its first private owner. Aston Martin Works restored it to concours standard in 1995–97, returning it to its start-of-filming specification. Moore signed the car in 2002 and Curtis in 2008. Bonhams sold it at Newport Pagnell on 17 May 2014 for £533,500 including premium; it remains in a private collection.

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.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Bonhams lot 222, The Aston Martin Works Sale, 17 May 2014 Level C

   • 1 DBS supplied by Aston Martin for the series (the single Sinclair car)

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   'The Persuaders!' Lord Brett Sinclair 1970 Aston Martin DBS Sports Saloon, lot 222 Level C Bonhams · 2014-05-17

   • Sold for £533,500
   • a standard six-cylinder DBS

   Accessed 2026-11-12
3. 3
   Aston Martin DBS & DBS V8 (1967-1972) Level A Aston Martin Lagonda

   • DOHC Straight six, 3995 cc, 280 bhp @ 4500 rpm (Specifications)
   • 4580 x 1830 x 1330 mm (Dimensions and Weights)
   • Weight: 1588 kg (Dimensions and Weights)

   Accessed 2026-11-12
4. 4
   'The Persuaders!' Lord Brett Sinclair, 1970 Aston Martin DBS Sports Saloon (Works Sale 2014) Level C Bonhams

   • standard six-cylinder DBS but to build the car as a DBS V8 in all visual respects

   Accessed 2026-11-12