Imagine saying you are the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato Race Car that was once owned by British comedian Rowan Atkison. Yes, the Rowan Atkison, aka Mr. Bean.

Mr. Bean’s biggest fans will immediately think of the character’s notorious Mini, but the man behind the role had a more sophisticated style when it came to chasing automobiles.

In fact, one of the premier trophies to be featured in his ever-impressive collection was the 1986 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato. It’s now for sale in the UK, listed by Dylan Miles. 

The backstory about the ownership is certainly fun, but the car itself deserves plenty of attention as well.

Dylan Miles

Dylan Miles

Finding an Aston Martin like this is by no means an easy feat. Only 52 V8 Vantage Zagatos were built between 1986 to 1990. The car in question is chassis no. 20013. It was the first to be produced. It didn’t land in Atkinson’s hands until 1998, years later. 

A well-known adorer of sweet rides, the comedian set out to convert the car into a model suit for racing. He specifically sought out the certified seal of approval (so to speak) of the Aston Martin Owners Club C2 Class “Mildly Modified” category. 

Atkinson’s V8 Vantage Zagato is an example of “the royal treatment” as far as the marque is concerned. For example, the car’s 5.3-liter V8 mill was reconstructed. The new version has a Weber Alpha fuel injection and ceramic-coated exhaust headers. 

The little tune-up helped engine output to soar to 482 hp and 412 ft-lbs of torque. Those figures reflect an increase of 52 and 17 each. Beyond that, all of the unnecessary parts were removed from the vehicle’s build, cutting its overall weight from 3,572 lbs to 3,197 lbs. 

375 pounds lighters, the car was then outfitted with a premium braking system complete with AP Racing components and racing-spec suspension. The work was done by Aston Martin Works.