Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez has announced that he will
auction his company Rapide at this year’s Bonhams auction at Newport Pagnell,
with all proceeds to go toward providing aid to survivors of the recent national
disasters in Japan.
In support of the initiative, Bonhams has also committed to waivering its
commission on this lot.

Commenting on the motivation behind this initiative, Dr
Ulrich Bez said: “Nobody could have failed to be moved by the recent events in Japan,
and we at Aston Martin are no exception. After many years presence in the
market and closer ties being forged with the Japanese automotive business in
recent projects, we have many friends in the region and we wanted to do
something to help.”

“The Bonhams Aston Martin Auction seems the perfect platform
to encourage the extended Aston Martin family to support this cause, so we have
decided to auction my Rapide which I have used in my role as Chief Executive to
represent Aston Martin at numerous events in both UK
and Europe. I hope this superb car will raise a
substantial amount to help make a difference.”

The Aston Martin Rapide recently affirmed its position as
one of the most desirable cars on sale today, having been awarded the World Car
Design of the Year 2011 at the New York International Auto Show by a jury of international
journalists.

The Bonhams Aston Martin Auction is scheduled for Saturday, May
21, at the Aston Martin Works Service in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Astonmartin.com

Bonhams.com