Back to back: Atalanta or Aston?

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Despite perhaps being similar in concept, the two cars seen here, and offered by Bonhams in its Bond Street Sale on the 16th, aren’t exactly evenly matched. But read on and you’ll find that there is perhaps more to them. Fact is that both are very interesting vehicles.

1937 Atalanta 2-Litre Sports

The Atalanta, a 1937 2-Litre short chassis model, is described as follows: “Exotic, advanced, and exceedingly rare, the mythical Atalanta is rightfully considered by many enthusiasts to be the 'Holy Grail' among British pre-war sports cars.”

It was a car used by Atalanta director Miss M V 'Midge' Wilby when new, and she entered it in a number of rallies and trials, among these the SWAC Welsh Rally and the Scottish RAC Rally. It appears to have been cream in colour at the time, although later ownership paperwork indicates it changed from blue to green in 1950. The original and ultra-rare Gough 2-Litre engine was later swapped for a Bristol-unit and later again for a Ford V8, but amazingly, a correct Gough was found in Switzerland and reinstalled in the 1990s. Estimated at £300,000 to 400,000 it won’t come cheap, but then finding a similar grail won’t be easy.

1928 Aston Martin 1½-Litre Standard Sports Model

Slightly more affordable (£100,000 to 120,000) is the 1928 Aston Martin 1½-Litre Sports in an unusual but striking paint scheme. This particular car starred at that year’s London Motor Show when it also wore another colour: brown. Snapped up at the show by the Maharajah of Patiala, the Aston was, however, soon to be transformed. Upon arrival in India the brand new ash frame of the car’s body was replaced with either mahogany or teak – supposedly to withstand attack from Indian wood-eating insects! It’s unknown whether the Maharajah also chose the new paint colours as the car only re-emerged in 1967 in an ad and years later – in pieces and with a restoration believed to be a bridge too far!

But that was just the kind of judgment the chaps of Ecurie Bertelli Ltd needed. As with the Atalanta, they managed to find a correct 1½-Litre engine plus ultra-rare wet sump, made a new rear axle and started work. Three years later the restoration was finished. That’s just over 10 years ago now, but the Aston still is a real cracker of a car. It is considered as the first Standard Sports Model built and the third oldest Bertelli-era Aston Martin known to be still running.

So… Which to choose..?

Words by Jeroen Booij. Pictures courtesy of Bonhams.

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