“No, Mr T87, I expect you to write!” With the obligatory Goldfinger reference out of the way, I hope we can proceed together, with minimal drooling, at admiring at an absolute automotive work of art. I trust this will complete this week of British ‘60s Luxury with the correct amount of Englishness, a healthy dash of swingingness (is that a word? It is now!) and exclusivity galore. Or should that last one be?… Never mind.
I realize the Bond car was a DB5 (1963-65), but those were a pretty straight evolution from the DB4, which was the real game-changer. Launched in late 1958, the DB4 featured both an incredibly beautiful lightweight body designed by Touring and the latest race-derived Aston Martin 3.7 litre straight-6. A potent mixture that left the pundits shaken and disturbed.
David Brown brought Aston Martin back to life – not once, but twice. First, by buying the struggling carmaker right after the war, then by buying Lagonda, whose engine technology was the key to success. Originally displacing 2.6 litres, the DOHC 6-cyl. designed by W.O. Bentley grew to 3-litres and powered Astons to unprecedented sales and track successes throughout the ‘50s. Starting in 1956, engineer Tadek Marek was tasked with revising (more like redesigning) the Lagonda six, turning it into an all-alloy 3670cc beast the churned out 240hp in its initial state of tune.
The rejuvenated engine was tested out at LeMans in DB Mark IIIs, then deemed ready for prime-time in a truly revised chassis. The first series DB4s that came out of Newport-Pagnell in 1959 were still imperfect, though. A lot of work was done throughout that year to iron out most of the kinks (especially lingering engine cooling issues), leading to the Series II cars being launched in January 1960.
One of the main innovations was the inclusion of a Laycock-de Normanville overdrive (on 3rd and top gear) and very minor exterior modifications, such as bumper overriders, a front-hinged bonnet and redesigned door frames. However, the Lucas rear lights were carried over – incidentally, these are the same that were used on the contemporary Alvis 3-Litre and some coachbuilt Bentleys. Later cars, all the way to the DB5, had the three round lamps in place of these units.
The DB4 quickly became Aston’s best ever seller – production struggled to keep up with the orders pouring in. The new engine was a huge part of the attraction of course, but brilliant mechanicals are nothing without a beautiful body. Previous Astons were decent lookers, but a tad ponderous, both figuratively and literally. To avoid this problem, David Brown contracted the DB4’s design out to the best Continental specialists.
There is a reason why everybody flocked to Italy for automotive styling in the ‘50s and ‘60s – there were some real masters at work there. In the present instance, Aston Martin went to the Milanese coachbuilder Touring. Not only was their head stylist, Frederico Formenti, at least as talented as Michelotti or Frua (but far less publicity-hungry), but the firm was specialized in lightweight bodies. That’s what superleggera means, after all.
The aluminium skin over steel tubing was a welcomed weight-saving device, helpfully offsetting the extra length and width of the body. The result was that the DB4 turned out slightly lighter than the Mark III it replaced, while being a bit roomier inside.
Only a bit, mind you. The chassis is relatively high and the roofline not particularly low, so those rear seats are highly symbolic.
The business end of the cabin is a real delight of functional design. As per the fashion of the times, it is mercifully unincumbered by wood inserts or other affectations, but it’s not been thrown together at the last minute like certain older specialist cars, particularly the prewar ones, seem to be.
Earlier DB4s like this one still have the mesh-like (or tiny eggcrate-style) grilles sported by Aston Martin Mark III, where this more modern-looking maw was pioneered. This would soon change to the more iconic seven-vertical-bar look with the DB4 Series III.
If you felt as though your DB4 could use a few modifications, both body and engine, there were a few choices available. First from Aston themselves, who introduced a drop-top variant with the Series IV in late 1961 (top left). The DB4 GT (top right), launched in late 1960, featured the famous headlamp covers that were soon adapted to the whole Aston range, reduced weight and no rear seats, as well as a special 3.8 litre engine developing over 300hp. Said DB4 GT could be fitted with a slippery Zagato body (bottom left) – nineteen people opted for that. A single Bertone special dubbed “Jet” was made in 1961 (bottom right), designed by a very young Giugiaro.
But why would you want to pay extra for any of that when the standard issue DB4 coupé was such a beautiful machine to begin with? The Vantage option – i.e. the standard car with a 266hp engine – was an interesting proposition, but only available from MY 1962 on the Series IV.
In total, just over 1000 units of the “standard” DB4s were made before switching seamlessly to the DB5. An additional 200 more special cars (cabriolets, GTs and Zagatos) can be added to this total – a real hit for Aston Martin.
Some may prefer the GT’s covered headlights, but there is a lot to be said for the original design. If there needed to be one nit to be picked, this particular car’s colour would not be my first choice. But short of winning the lottery or taking on Fort Knox, that’s the sort of problem I’ll never have to think twice about.
I didn’t know they came in any other color
Check out the convertible seen in the first few minutes of the original Italian Job.
They fixed all its mechanical and electrical issues in less than 60 seconds.
I really respect “ekshpect”, and didn’t even write the obvious for once.
The DB4 looks much finer than the 5, in my entirely bloated opinion. The latter always looks like a slightly awkward graft to these eyes, whereas the 5 is unfailingly exquisite, surely the original no-bad-angles job. The fat-cheeked Zagato Michaelangelo has been even more favoriter, but in truth, it has minor viewpoints that could be criticized as a bit heavy (though not by me).
When this was current, Mr B was driving a Sunbeam Alpine – nice car, but I mean, really! – so I’ll accept his graduation to the 5 as necessary. And, of course, enduring, even though Judi Dench gave a tiny wink of her superb comic abilities when pronouncing it “not very comfortable” 50 years later in Skyfall.
Very sweet find, Dr T. Unlike the Bristol seen a day or so ago, this green does try to be Racing, or even British, and it’s luminous and just right. Rather like the looks of the car itself.
Now I’m going to have to do a Google dive to figure out the difference between the DB5 and a late DB4, a distinction I’ve never thought to look into.
After seeing this, I would consider my own DB4 or DB5 in that color, I quite like it, perhaps it’s called SuperLightTeal? It’s better than the familiar color every other Camry or CRV is painted nowadays, you know, Gray #007.
* Just in case there was any confusion I don’t actually have a DB4. Or DB5.
I saw an Aston Martin parked at the grocery store a couple of years ago. Really a beautiful car. I waited around for as long as I could to see the owner, but finally had to give up. Still a treat to see one in the wild.
The quite large hood scoop on this and all the Series I, II and III versions looks a bit out of place on a refined touring car. That was rectified with the Series IV, which got a more mission-appropriate one. And I do rather like the grille on the later ones too.
Fussy bastard, you, giving a 9.96 to a 10, but not wrong: that earlier scoop is a bit snorkely, and the IV is just right.
On the later grille, though, no. For mine, the earlier captures the (implied) race/road suggestion of the whole perfectly, whilst the latter is just a nice grille that could also be that of a Humber or a heater.
Marvelous vehicle, this is another that’s smaller than you think when you see it in person.
The dissimilar metal corrosion on the Superleggera body makes restoration a truly terrifying prospect. I followed along with this one for several years:
https://classicjaguar.com/cj/db4.html
I cannot imagine how much that must have cost
Another well written piece by a Curbivore about to be offered UK citizenship…..
The grille and scoop were better later , and you’re not the only one to have a view on the colour – it looks close to the green branding colour now being used by A-M and on the Grand Prix car. Call it Ursula Green if you wish…
How different our opinions are. And that’s great. I have a DB4 model unbuilt; in part because I could never find the right colour for it. With this TatraFeature, it’s MIssion Accomplished (hang on, that’s not Bond)! I think this soft blue is just lovely, and much more imaginative than the too-common silver. And I think I have the colour, or something very close.
We’ll see of it warms up enough for spraying paint.
I also prefer the styling of this series. The taillights look bespoke rather then the off-the-shelf Lucas rounds, shared with the likes of the Hillman Imp – didn’t check part numbers, but they look just the same. The grille on this series is more refined (than later Astons, not the Imp, of course), and I actually think the larger scoop looks better. More scoopish, if you will, and less like a mail slot.
Peak Aston, for the next 30 or 40 years…..
Beautiful pics, of a fine work of art!
Wow, that’s a real beauty.
Love the color and the car!
I too wish the mfrs (take that as you will) would paint their cars in colors other than 50 shades of gray. Booorring.
I have always loved the early DB4, the fine eggcrate grille, and the expose headlamps.
Never liked the covered headlamps of the 5. I would update mine with a proper 5-speed, and frankly bristle at your dismissal of such quintessentially British “affectations” as the beauty of wood fascia. Leave the stark, cold Teutonic interiors to those that made them famous (to some).