A classic Aston Martin once owned by Spartacus star Peter Ustinov is set to fetch more than £1million at auction - twice what it fetched four years ago . The actor bought the Aston Martin DB4 Cabriolet in 1962 , shortly after winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Batiatus in Spartacus . It was one of the most luxurious cars of its day , costing £4,000 and was delivered to him at a Swiss hotel at a time when the average house price in Britain was just £2,500 . The Aston Martin DB4 Cabriolet once belonged to actor Peter Ustinov and is expected to fetch £1million when it goes up for auction at Bonhams . That 's more than twice what it cost just four years ago . A collectors piece : These pictures show the prestigious Aston Martin logo on the bonnet , left , a trademark of the elite brand , and an absolutely spotless stylish leather trim , left , that once seated Peter Ustinov . The fast lane : The car cost £4,000 in 1962 when the average house price in Britain was just £2,500 . Quick sale : The 3.7-litre engine produced 240bhp . It went 0-60mph in nine seconds and had a top speed of 140mph . This was one of the fastest cars of the era so attracted interest from the rich and famous . Listed : The car is expected to attract £1million - more than double the £431,200 it sold for four years ago . And while the average UK home is now £177,000 , the value of Ustinov ’ s Aston has rocketed even more and is expected to sell for around £1 million next month . This is £570,000 MORE than the price paid for the Aston Martin when it was sold at a London auction in 2011 . Engineers had fitted the car with a 3.7-litre engine developing around 240bhp , giving it a 0-60mph time of nine seconds and a top speed of 140mph . Perfect form : The DB4 was considered one of the most beautiful and luxurious cars of its day . Ustinov , left , bought the car shortly after winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Spartacus . I am Spartacus : Star Kirk Douglas , centre right , plays a gladiator who takes on the Roman Empire in the 1960 Stanley Kubrick film . Ustinov , centre left , plays the owner of a Gladiator school where Spartacus and a number of followers escape from . It led to a slave rebellion known as the Third Servile War . It was the first Aston Martin to be produced in Newton Pagnell , Buckinghamshire , which is where it will go on sale at Bonhams auction house on May 9 at the annual Aston Martin sale . The car went down well with critics , with Motors magazine praising its “ high quality , exceptional performance , lavish finishing ” . They called it “ a great British product , benefiting from the styling input of Touring of Milan ” . It is not known how long Ustinov owned the Aston Martin , but it had two more owners before being bought by British race car driver David Piper , who sold it in 1984 . The radio on the inside , left , is still spotless and the 53-year-old car cuts a dash from behind , right . Aston Martin started on the DB4 in 1956 at the same time as the slightly older DB3 . It was launched to great fanfare and praise in 1958 at the London Motor show . Its most impressive feature was its power . With a 3.7-litre engine that produced 240bhp , it could go 0-60 in nine seconds and had a top speed of 140mph . It claimed to go from 0-100mph in just 21 seconds , making it a serious competitor to luxury European brands like Ferrari and Porsche . Though the body was designed by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan , the DB4 was the first to be built at the company 's Newport Pagnell works in Buckinghamshire . As well as the Mini , Michael Caine drove a DB4 convertible in The Italian Job .
DB4 put British cars back on map going 140mph and 0-60 in nine seconds . Bought in 1962 after Ustinov won best supporting actor Oscar for Spartacus . Great British movie star was loved TV personality until his death in 2004 . Car set to sell for double what it fetched at auction when sold four years ago .