The debut of the DB4 in 1958 ushered in the glorious era of Aston Martin, which made the classic six-cylinder Aston-DB automotive world star. The car reached a new level of convenience and elegance, which was, according to many authorities, the limit of perfection. It looked great and rode just as well.
Source: The Houtkamp Collection
With the introduction of the DB4 series, Aston Martin has taken it to another level by introducing a brand new Grand Touring vehicle to the world and its customers. This model became the hallmark of the company and was undoubtedly the most beautiful British sports vehicle of the 50s, and in terms of performance and comfort, it was not inferior to Ferrari and Maserati automobiles. Thanks to the successful combination of Italian style and technical developments of the company’s engineers, it became the brand’s most successful model at that time and won worldwide fame.
Source: Auto Vercity
By the end of the 50s, the Aston Martin brand enjoyed fame as a remarkable manufacturer of dynamic roadsters that provided complete pleasure. At the end of the 50s, the company decided to replace the DB2/4 with another roadster – DB4. It came out as a completely new automobile with a different body and engine introduced in 1958 by David Brown at the London Motor Show. The public and critics welcomed the new model warmly, and the company began a serial production. The bodies were made in Italy, and new technology for minimizing the weight was implemented: aluminum elements were hand-attached to a steel frame while maintaining the required rigidity. This worked perfectly, and the brand’s bodies were characterized by the term “Superleggera” which translated from Italian, meant “super light”. Interestingly, previously, this was the name given to elegant and “airy” carriages made in the famous Touring workshop. Carriages became history, and Milan coachbuilders started to make car bodies. However, technically the vehicles were assembled in Britain, at a new plant in Newport. This new roadster acquired the characteristics of a supercar: it had no equals on the road. Elongated hood, the center of gravity visually shifted back: this supercar was admired by everyone!
Source: AM Registry
The brand started this roadster’s development in 1956, in parallel with the previous DB Mk III model. The chassis of the vehicles were designed by Harold Beach, which received a completely new aluminum Inline6 engine with a displacement of 3.7 liters, with two overhead camshafts. This unit with a capacity of 240 horsepower was developed by designer Tadek Marek. The automobile was equipped with Dunlop and later Girling disc brakes. The DB4 was offered a choice of two transmission options – a five-speed manual and a three-speed automatic. The design of the power unit was the same as that of its predecessor, the 2.9-liter Lagonda engine, but the enlarged cylinder block was made entirely of aluminum. Power 240 hp provided two overhead camshafts and two SU HD8 carburetors. In 1957 this engine was tested on the racing Aston Martin DBR2. The body was designed and developed by the Italian Carrozzeria Touring in Milan using its own “Superleggera” technology. The aluminum panels were mounted on a steel tube space frame attached to a stamped steel frame. This design was very light and allowed the roadster to accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in less than 9s and reach a maximum of 225 km/h. Fuel consumption was 16 liters per 100 km. The DB4 debuted at the 1958 London Motor Show and was produced from 1958 to 1963. There were five series of this model as over the years of production it received minor changes: side window frames, an enlarged oil sump, a flat air intake on the hood, a radiator grill with horizontal blinds, and triple round lights at the rear. The model was produced until 1963 and during this period, a total of 1,205 cars were built, including 1,040 standard coupes, 70 convertibles, and 95 GT modifications. It survived five upgrades (versions I-V) and was represented by several modifications: GT, Zagato, Vantage, Volante, and Drophead Coupe.
Source: Mad4Wheels
Features such as the grille, fastback roof, and vertical taillights were not new to the 1958 release – they had previously been used on the DB Mk III, but on the DB4 the first air intake on the hood and two side vents, divided in two by a chrome strip, appeared.
Contact us if you have this or another classic vehicle to sell.
| Mon - Fri Saturday Sunday |
9am - 6pm 9am - 3pm Closed |