Category: Automotive Posts

The first of a new generation of Aston Martins with a large, more modern sporting coupé saloon design, by in-house designed Bill Towns. The Vantage performance upgrade was desirable.

New shape. Quad headlamps. Usually wire wheels.

The new body finally paired with the V8 designed for it.

Larger air dam, wider tyres, alloy wheels

Commissioned by tobacco firm H. O. Wills to promote their ‘Sotheby’ brand.

Photo: Wikipedia

Restyled, particularly at the front (overseen in development by David Brown). Unusually this Vantage was not the fastest version, but it did inherit the engine of the previous DBS Vantage.

The last Aston with wire wheels. DB6-style grille.

Photo: Andrew Bone, Wikipedia

The same restyle was applied to the V8. The car was initially badged the DBS V8. The car now had fuel injection.

Originally badged DBS V8. Fuel injection.

This was the car in production when the company went into receivership, but restarted under new orders with a healthy order book. Several tweaks to balance emissions and performance.

Weber carbs and taller bonnet scoop.

Stretched four-door V8 occasionally made alongside.

.

Photo: Wikipedia

The sensational high-performance luxury car with quintessential wedge design by Bill Towns. Immediately gained hundreds of lucrative orders. Complicated and expensive electronics.

S3 from 1986 – styling unchanged

Acclaimed as Britain’s first supercar for its 170 mph (270 km/h) top speed, and 5.3 s 0-60 time. Extra power from new camshafts, higher compression, larger valves, bigger carburettors on new manifolds.

Blanked grille and bonnet scoop. Separate spoiler integrated from S1b (Dec ’77).

Midlife update, accompanied by long-awaited convertible version.

Power bulge rather than bonnet scoop. US cars have bigger bumpers

The Vantage also received the ‘Oscar India’ update.

Smoother bonnet line as V8 S4. Improved interior.

Convertible version.

Except for Prince of Wales spec (c. 27 cars): deeper front spoiler, wider wheel arches, extended side skirts, rear spoiler.

Initially planned for small batch production, but this was deemed uneconomical.

Photo: Wikipedia

Chairman Victor Gauntlett had a stake in Zagato and Aston commissioned a modern take on the DB4GT Zagato. Carbs.

Photo: Wikipedia

A return to fuel injection.

Smoothed bonnet line.

Restyling by Bill Towns.

Triple headlamps, no swage line, rounder and more slab-sided. Rounder rear-end with single row of lights.

Developed from the Claude Hill-designed ‘Atom’ prototype, won the 1948 Spa 24 Hours race at Spa. Rebuilt and shown at the London Motor Show for public sale at over £3000, there were no takers.

Photo: Wikipedia

David Brown’s first postwar sportscar, using the Claude Hill engine. Retrospectively known as the DB1 and generally seen as interim.

Debut of 3-part grille.

Start of production of pre-war prototype designed by W. O. Bentley, with the Lagonda engine used in all early David Brown Astons. DHC bodied by Tickford, which was bought in 1955 as main Aston factory.

Shortened DB1 chassis mated with a new body and the Lagonda engine. A Vantage performance upgrade was available.

Luxurious but too expensive for demand to be sustained.

Opening rear window and optional small rear seats (“/4” suggesting a 4-seater). Bodywork by Mulliner at Feltham.

Single-piece windscreen, larger bumpers, repositioned headlights.

Bodywork moved to Tickford, Newport Pagnell. Small performance and styling updates.

More angular rear wings, suggesting tailfins, bubble-type tail lights, added chrome, revised bonnet opening line

Road legal but designed for the track, the first five (including DB3/5 shown) were works cars. Originally intended to have a new V12. 2nd at Sebring in 1953.

Debut of the classic Aston Martin grille.

Several cars were converted to coupés.

Road legal but designed for the track, the first 11 were works cars.

Updated design, featuring DB3S-style grille. Substantial engine rework by Tadek Marek During the production run, disc brakes and a proper hatchback (except on the coupé and DHC) were added.

‘Droop snoot’

‘Drophead coupé’ convertible version.

The sensationally attractive lightweight superleggera (tube-frame) body was designed by Carrozzeria Touring in Milan, and built at the Newport Pagnell factory. New aluminium engine from Marek.

Window frames from S2. barred grille from S4. S5 cars longer and more roomy, with smaller wheels. S5 and Vantage had GT front end.

Fastest road legal car of its day. Shortened and lightened. Engine mods including twin spark plugs, treble Webers, higher compression.

Zagato shortened and visually transformed the car, further lightening it, using aluminium and perspex. Entered Le Mans in 1961. Continuation series have been released in 1988 (4), 1992 (2) and 2019 (up to 19).

DB4 GT derivation, entered in 1963 and 1964 Le Mans. Several replicas exist.

An updated luxury performance car, designed by Carrozzeria Touring with aluminum panels over a tubular steel frame. Used the 4-litre engine later seen in the DB5, rear suspension later seen in the DBS.

Photo: Wikipedia

Improved suspension, brakes, steering. A Vantage performance upgrade was available with treble Webers (rather than treble SU) and revised camshafts .

The Volante name was used for the last 37 cars (made after the launch of the DB6 saloon) and had DB6 bumpers and rear lights.

Aston Martin made a single version for David Brown (who was a hunter). Radford converted 11 or 12 more.

Photo: Sotheby’s

Longer chassis, so roomier and more stable car. More sophisticated superleggera construction incorporating tubes and plates as required. Better equipped.

Noticeably longer wheelbase gives different side profile; split bumpers; restyled rear with (controversial) Kammback tail.

New funding from Louis Zborowski allowed Aston Martin to enter the French GP in 1922, with Zborowski in one car; this was Clive Gallup’s.

One of the GP cars was developed into Razor Blade achieved victory in its first race, lapping Brooklands at over 98 mph; and soon set records in the standing start mile (74 mph) and kilometer (66 mph).

Another GP car was developed into a special for the record-breaking driver of Razor Blade. Originally a pioneering turbo, superchargers proved more reliable in the end. It competed in the 1927 French GP.

Aston Martin made a small number of inter-war short- and long-chassis cars before bankruptcy, and the departure of Martin, in 1924-1925.

Photo: Wikipedia

R&B took over Aston Martin in 1926, and brought with them the development car, including for their new overhead cam engine.

Photo: Bonhams

Bertelli-designed “First Series”, replacing the Standard Sports. Also available as T-Type sports and saloons from 1927; also a few coupes, and a ‘Le Mans’ version of the International.

Photo: Broad Arrow

The bulk of Second Series production from late 1932 was taken up by the short chassis ‘Le Mans’. Neatly exploited niche for medium sportscars.

Info

New lowered design, with pointed tails and a new ‘V’ shaped radiator. LM10 was the most successful of the 3 cars built, winning its class at Le Mans in 1932 and finishing in 1933 and 1934.

Photo: Car-Iconics

Mark II with respect to the Le Mans, but actually Third Series, with considerably stiffer and stronger chassis.

Info

The name ’Ulster’ was first used to describe the two seater racing version of the ‘Mark II’ after the 1934 TT race held at Ards in Northern Ireland.

Info

A more civilised Aston Martin – softer, quieter and more flexible. Marketed as a tourer, rather than sportscar

Info

Intended as a street version of a racing car, and originally developed for the 1936 Le Mans (the cancellation of which ended the works team).

Info