THE ASTON MARTIN DB4 AND DB4GT
The iconic Aston Martin DB4 was unveiled at the 1958 Paris salon. A totally new
car, the introduction of the DB4 was a significant achievement for a small British
manufacturer. The specification included a completely new steel platform chassis
with disc brakes all around, and a freshly developed alloy twin-cam 3.7 liter
straight six cylinder engine, all clothed in a perfectly-proportioned fastback
aluminium body designed by Touring of Milan. Overall, the DB4 was state-of-the-
art for its time, a masterpiece of robust British engineering in combination with
exquisite Italian styling.
The chassis was engineered under the watchful eye of Harold Beech and features
independent front suspension, and a live rear axle located by trailing arms. The
body construction utilizes the vaunted Touring Superleggera process, which
consists of a skeleton made up from small diameter steel tubing covered by hand-
formed aluminium alloy body panels. The coachwork was constructed by Aston
Martin under license from Touring at its newly-deployed facility in Newport
Pagnell.
Running changes were made to the DB4 during its production run, both
mechanical and cosmetic. Posthumously, the Aston Martin Owners Club has
organized them into 5 categories (Series I-V). The fifth series cars had extended
bodywork and a somewhat taller greenhouse and rode on 15-inch wheels (as
opposed to the 16-inchers on the earlier cars). This iteration is essentially a DB5
in concept, christened as such in 1963 when it was fitted with the slightly larger
4.0-litre engine.
During Series IV production, the cars could be ordered with the ‘Vantage’
coachwork option, along with the 'Special Series' triple-SU carburettored engine.
These were built with the ‘faired-in headlamp’ look updated from the DB4GT
model. Following on, most (but not all) Series V cars were fitted with the
covered headlamps.
All together, some 1110 DB4s were constructed from 1958 – 1963, 70 of which
were convertible models.
“The Aston Martin DB4 hits the sweet spot in between the Continent and the
Crown.”
The competition variant, the DB4GT, was formally introduced in September 1959
at the London Motor Show, based on the race winning prototype DP199/1, and in
the year in which Astons took the World Sportscar Championship title (the
smallest manufacturer ever to do so) and after becoming the first British marque
to achieve an outright victory at LeMans. The GT prototype won its first outing in
May 1959 on Bank Holiday weekend, in the hands of Stirling Moss, and was one
of the first cars away at Le Mans that June, in the same colors as the victorious
Aston DBR1s.
DB4GTs represented a strong challenge to the dominance of Ferrari in GT racing,
and enjoyed considerable victories, raced from 1959 by both the works team as
well as John Ogier's Essex Racing Stable. Driven by the likes of Roy Salvadori,
Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Innes Ireland, the GT earned its stripes every day on
the racing circuit. In December 1959 at the Bahamas Speed Week, when
another driver rolled the DBR2 intended for Mr. Moss, the works “borrowed”
back a DB4GT just delivered to a Caribbean customer- and Mr. Moss handily won
the next race, in an Aston plucked from the parking lot! The GT indeed was a
dual-purpose car, at ease both on the circuit and on the Grand Tour.
Despite their tremendous rarity and value, the GT is still a popular entrant at
major historic racing events such as the Goodwood Revival and the numerous
(and astonishingly competitive) Aston Martin Owners Club Championship race
meetings in the UK. And the DB4GT has proven Grand for Touring over 1000
miles with power and comfort, often winning or placing in many of the long-
distance events which have become popular in recent years, such as the
Colorado Grand, the Copperstate 1000, the California Mille, and the New England
Tour 1000.
Produced between 1959 and 1963, Aston Martin built a mere 75 DB4 GTs (plus
another 19 of the Zagato-bodied variants, one Bertone-bodied special, and five
“Team” or Development Project GTs). Of the 75 examples, 45 were supplied in
right hand drive, and 30 were left hand drive. Amongst the most beloved of all
Astons, the DB4GT remains unmatched for its unique combination of
performance and roadability.
Rarer yet are 14 DB4 coupes factory ordered with the GT engine installed. This
configuration afforded the owner the increased performance of the uprated
motor, but without compromising the back seat area or the luggage space in the
boot (taken up by an overlarge fuel tank in the GT). 6 of the 14 examples were
produced on the later and longer Series V platform, leaving just 8 made to the
original DB4 proportions. These unique variants are sometimes referred to as
built to 'Vantage GT" specification.
The iconic Aston Martin DB4 was unveiled at the 1958 Paris salon. A totally new
car, the introduction of the DB4 was a significant achievement for a small British
manufacturer. The specification included a completely new steel platform chassis
with disc brakes all around, and a freshly developed alloy twin-cam 3.7 liter
straight six cylinder engine, all clothed in a perfectly-proportioned fastback
aluminium body designed by Touring of Milan. Overall, the DB4 was state-of-the-
art for its time, a masterpiece of robust British engineering in combination with
exquisite Italian styling.
The chassis was engineered under the watchful eye of Harold Beech and features
independent front suspension, and a live rear axle located by trailing arms. The
body construction utilizes the vaunted Touring Superleggera process, which
consists of a skeleton made up from small diameter steel tubing covered by hand-
formed aluminium alloy body panels. The coachwork was constructed by Aston
Martin under license from Touring at its newly-deployed facility in Newport
Pagnell.
Running changes were made to the DB4 during its production run, both
mechanical and cosmetic. Posthumously, the Aston Martin Owners Club has
organized them into 5 categories (Series I-V). The fifth series cars had extended
bodywork and a somewhat taller greenhouse and rode on 15-inch wheels (as
opposed to the 16-inchers on the earlier cars). This iteration is essentially a DB5
in concept, christened as such in 1963 when it was fitted with the slightly larger
4.0-litre engine.
During Series IV production, the cars could be ordered with the ‘Vantage’
coachwork option, along with the 'Special Series' triple-SU carburettored engine.
These were built with the ‘faired-in headlamp’ look updated from the DB4GT
model. Following on, most (but not all) Series V cars were fitted with the
covered headlamps.
All together, some 1110 DB4s were constructed from 1958 – 1963, 70 of which
were convertible models.
“The Aston Martin DB4 hits the sweet spot in between the Continent and the
Crown.”
The competition variant, the DB4GT, was formally introduced in September 1959
at the London Motor Show, based on the race winning prototype DP199/1, and in
the year in which Astons took the World Sportscar Championship title (the
smallest manufacturer ever to do so) and after becoming the first British marque
to achieve an outright victory at LeMans. The GT prototype won its first outing in
May 1959 on Bank Holiday weekend, in the hands of Stirling Moss, and was one
of the first cars away at Le Mans that June, in the same colors as the victorious
Aston DBR1s.
DB4GTs represented a strong challenge to the dominance of Ferrari in GT racing,
and enjoyed considerable victories, raced from 1959 by both the works team as
well as John Ogier's Essex Racing Stable. Driven by the likes of Roy Salvadori,
Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Innes Ireland, the GT earned its stripes every day on
the racing circuit. In December 1959 at the Bahamas Speed Week, when
another driver rolled the DBR2 intended for Mr. Moss, the works “borrowed”
back a DB4GT just delivered to a Caribbean customer- and Mr. Moss handily won
the next race, in an Aston plucked from the parking lot! The GT indeed was a
dual-purpose car, at ease both on the circuit and on the Grand Tour.
Despite their tremendous rarity and value, the GT is still a popular entrant at
major historic racing events such as the Goodwood Revival and the numerous
(and astonishingly competitive) Aston Martin Owners Club Championship race
meetings in the UK. And the DB4GT has proven Grand for Touring over 1000
miles with power and comfort, often winning or placing in many of the long-
distance events which have become popular in recent years, such as the
Colorado Grand, the Copperstate 1000, the California Mille, and the New England
Tour 1000.
Produced between 1959 and 1963, Aston Martin built a mere 75 DB4 GTs (plus
another 19 of the Zagato-bodied variants, one Bertone-bodied special, and five
“Team” or Development Project GTs). Of the 75 examples, 45 were supplied in
right hand drive, and 30 were left hand drive. Amongst the most beloved of all
Astons, the DB4GT remains unmatched for its unique combination of
performance and roadability.
Rarer yet are 14 DB4 coupes factory ordered with the GT engine installed. This
configuration afforded the owner the increased performance of the uprated
motor, but without compromising the back seat area or the luggage space in the
boot (taken up by an overlarge fuel tank in the GT). 6 of the 14 examples were
produced on the later and longer Series V platform, leaving just 8 made to the
original DB4 proportions. These unique variants are sometimes referred to as
built to 'Vantage GT" specification.