3,670cc DOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Triple SU Carburetors
266bhp at 5,750rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Front Independent Suspension – Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Disk Brakes

*One of very few, highly desirable, LHD, covered headlight, Vantage examples made
*Retains the original, matching numbers engine
*Offered from 33-years of ownership
*A very rare and collectible Aston Martin from the Golden Era

THE ASTON MARTIN DB4

'When the products which are raced bear such a close resemblance to those which can be bought by the public, as do those of Aston Martin, only the most biased can deny the value of racing in improving the breed. It should be no surprise (that the DB4) should be based on an engine which first appeared in experimental form in some of last year's races.' - The Autocar, 3rd October 1958

Classically proportioned and instantly recognizable from the moment of its introduction, the Touring-styled Aston Martin DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. At its launch in October 1958, the DB4 marked a major turning point for Aston Martin as it was the first car of the David Brown era which neither used a chassis derived from the experimental Atom of 1939 nor an engine designed at Lagonda under the auspices of W O Bentley. Moreover, it was the first Aston Martin to carry Carrozzeria Touring's 'Superleggera' bodywork, in which light alloy panels were fixed to a framework of light-gauge steel tubes welded to a platform chassis. Although styled by Touring, the DB4's gorgeous fastback coachwork was built under license at Newport Pagnell by Aston Martin, which employed some of the finest panel beaters in the industry. The result was a car whose sleek lines were described as 'unmistakably Italian and yet... equally unmistakably Aston Martin.'

First seen at Le Mans the previous year in the DBR2, the 3.7-litre, six-cylinder, double-overhead camshaft engine was the work of Tadek Marek, formerly with Austin, while the gearbox was a new David Brown four-speed all-synchromesh unit. An immensely strong platform-type chassis, designed by Harold Beach, replaced the preceding DB2/4's multi-tubular spaceframe, the latter being considered incompatible with Touring's Superleggera body construction. The DB2/4's trailing-link independent front suspension gave way to unequal-length wishbones while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by a Watts linkage instead of its predecessor's Panhard rod. Boasting disc brakes all round and with 240bhp on tap, the DB4 was the first production car capable of accelerating from a standing start to 100mph and back to rest again in under 30 seconds. At a time when few family saloons were capable of exceeding 70mph and took an age to get there, this staggering performance made the DB4 just about the fastest thing on the road, easily the equal of its Italian rivals.

Manufactured between October 1958 and June 1963, the DB4 developed through no fewer than five series. However, it should be made clear that the cars were not thus designated by the factory, this nomenclature having been suggested subsequently by the Aston Martin Owners Club to aid identification as the model evolved. The first had already undergone a number of improvements, including the fitting of heavy-duty bumpers after the first 50 cars, before the second series arrived in January 1960. A front-hinged bonnet, bigger brake calipers, and an enlarged sump were the major changes made on the Series II, while the third series featured separate rear lights, two bonnet stays, and a host of improvements to the interior fittings. The fourth series was readily distinguishable by its new grille (with seven vertical bars), shallower bonnet intake, and recessed rear lights, while the final (fifth) series manufactured between September 1962 and June 1963 was built on a 3.5" longer wheelbase (allowing for increased leg room and a larger boot) and gained 15" wheels, an electric radiator fan and the DB4GT-type instrument panel.

One of the most notable developments had arrived with the introduction of the 'Series IV' in September 1961, when a 'Special Series' (SS) or 'Vantage' engine became available as an option. The 'SS' incorporated a 9.0:1 compression ratio, larger valves, and triple SU HD8 carburetors, producing 266bhp at 5,750rpm, a gain of 26 horsepower over the standard unit. Almost all DB4 Vantages were built with the faired-in headlights of the DB4GT, including the car offered here.

The DB4 Series V Vantage is one of the rarest and most desirable of the DB range with very few cars built in this final incarnation of the DB4. Indeed, the original 'James Bond' car used in the filming of 'Goldfinger' was a DB4 Series V, as they look virtually identical to the DB5 which at that time was not quite ready.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

The gorgeous Aston Martin DB4 Series V Vantage offered here is one of very few, end-of-the-run, covered headlight fifth series DB4s made. Furthermore, the car is a factory Vantage model, with a left-hand drive steering arrangement from new. Records differ, but some say that less than ten of these cars were made!

According to a copy of the original factory build record on file, DB4 chassis number DB4/958/L was delivered new to Garage Fischer & Cie, Zurich, Switzerland on May 12th, 1962. The factory build sheet further notes the desirable factory equipment as Vantage specification, overdrive and chrome plated Borrani wire wheels, and a left-hand drive steering arrangement. Triple SU carburetors were fitted, as well as Smith metric instrumentation and Avon tires. The car was finished in Desert White, with a black Connolly leather interior. It remains unclear how long the car stayed in Switzerland, or Europe for that matter, but DB4/958/L had made its way to the United States by the mid-1980s.

The consignor, a Texas-based collector and connoisseur of exceptional European sports cars, bought the rare Aston Martin from Tom Barrett in 1986, and has retained the car in his impressive collection ever since. A repaint in red has been performed at some point, but other than that, the Aston Martin DB4 Vantage remains in highly original and unmolested condition throughout. The original black Connolly leather interior remains intact, and many compartments feature the original, factory-applied finishes. The chassis and body plates are original, and the original, matching numbers Vantage engine remains in the car. The car has never been altered or changed about, and really offers a rare opportunity to acquire a splendid example of this highly collectible Vantage model. Rarer than a DB4 GT, and maybe even the GTZ, this spectacular, factory left hand drive Series V, covered headlight Vantage DB4 is coming out of decades of devoted ownership and offers the next owner unparalleled opportunities.