Brett Rupert George Robert Mark Anthony Andrew Sinclair, 15th Earl of Marnock better known as Lord Brett Sinclair followed a traditional aristocratic path through Harrow School, Oxford University, the Guards Regiment before dabbling and failing as a Grand Prix driver moving into race horse ownership.
While on holiday in the South of France he ended up destroying a hotel bar after meeting and fighting with a self made oil millionaire from the Bronx called Danny Wilde. To avoid a ninety day prison sentence the Judge persuades the two playboys to help him put right some ‘errors of impunity’.
Brett Sinclair owned this 1970 Aston Martin 6 cylinder DBS which bears his personalised registration number while Daniel Wild drove a Ferrari Dino 246 GTB.
Thus was set in motion one of the most expensive, British, television series with Roger Moore playing the refined role of Lord Brett Sinclair and none other than Tony Curtis playing the gruff role of Daniel Wild. However as can be seen Lord Sinclair’s car has the wheels ….
and badges usually found on the Aston Martin Aston Martin V8 DBS.
In fact in every respect apart from the 6 cylinder motor the car used by the production company was a V8 DBS spec.
It turned out that having agreed to supply the latest V8 DBS spec model, along with a works mechanic to look after it, Aston Martin were unable to keep up with the demand for V8 motors and so decided to supply an V8 DBS upgraded DBS with straight six motor without telling anyone at the production company.
The registration BS1 was used with the consent of the real owner of the registration Circus impresario Billy Smart, the real BS1 still belongs to the Smart Family. While the original PPP6H registration on the DBS, which accidentally appeared in one episode of The Persuaders, is the one with which the car still appears when driven on the open road.
While The Persuaders was a big success in Europe it failed to capture the imagination of it’s intended American audience and so it died after just one season. Just as well for Roger Moore as there was a vacancy for the role of James Bond waiting to be filled.
Thanks for joining me on this “Straight 6 V8′ edition of “Gettin a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a pick up. Don’t forget to come back now !
