British auctioneer Coys has completed the first ever purchase of a classic car via social media using mobile app Vero for the sale of the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 for £825,000 ($1.01m) to a buyer who made the payment using Apple Pay.

Coys said this could be the largest known transaction made via Apple Pay, but did not reveal the owner's name.

COYS’ chief executive Chris Routledge said: “The proud new owner saw the DB5 at the Paris Motor Show, he was overjoyed to see the car of his dreams and didn’t want to lose it… he was keen to quickly get in front of the queue, so a few days later he hit the ‘Buy Now’ button on Vero to guarantee the purchase, leaving two other collectors disappointed in his wake.

“This is an exciting achievement for COYS digital presence, which signals a new era for classic car sales. The ‘Buy Now’ feature on Vero will give informed and savvy collectors a crucial head start in a highly competitive market place. Collectors worldwide fight fiercely amongst themselves to obtain the best machines and we certainly feel that Coys presence on Vero will give our clients that essential edge,” he added.

The newly-sold DB5 is a silver right-hand drive model with a red leather interior. It has undergone a full restoration – including engine rebuild, suspension and gearbox overhaul following 20 years in dry storage, during which time it was not used.

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