Never one to miss the opportunity for a special edition (here's the F1 Edition Vantage), Aston Martin has unveiled this – the snappily-titled Q by Aston Martin Vantage Roadster ‘A3’.

And no, it hasn’t been inspired by a humdrum German hatchback, A3 is the oldest surviving Aston Martin that’s actually celebrating its 100th birthday this year. It was the third of five prototypes that Aston built before any series production began at Abingdon Road in Kensington back in the 1920s. What a thing.

Now, Aston’s longest serving dealer – HWM in Walton on Thames – has commissioned just three examples of this special edition to celebrate the 1.5-litre, 11bhp monster.

There are no mechanical changes to the Vantage Roadster, but the A3 edition does get a unique grille with its bright surround and black mesh. Aston’s heritage badge is also attached to the grille, and there are side panels with a retro-look leather strap to ape the bonnet strap on the 1921 A3.  

The wheels are 20-inch forged items and are finished in gloss black, whilst the brake calipers are painted bronze. The interior is rather lovely, with black leather complemented by ‘Chestnut Tan’ accents and some lovely old Aston Martin script embroidery. The little rotary dials on the dash have been cast from brass too to pay tribute to the interior of the A3. 

It’s cheesy, yeah, but still rather lovely isn’t it?

STORY Greg Potts