Aston Martin DB4
Aston Martin | |
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Aston Martin DB4 Saloon
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DB4 | |
Production period: | 1958-1963 |
Class : | Sports car |
Body versions : | Coupé , convertible |
Engines: |
Gasoline engine : 3.7 liters (176–222 kW) |
Length: | 4362-4490 mm |
Width: | 1676 mm |
Height: | 1310 mm |
Wheelbase : | 2489 mm |
Empty weight : | 1257-1308 kg |
Previous model | Aston Martin DB2 / 4 Mark III |
successor | Aston Martin DB5 |
The Aston Martin DB4 is a sports car from the automobile manufacturer Aston Martin . It was a new development that had little in common with the previous model DB 2/4 Mark III . The DB4 and its successors, the DB5 and DB6, shaped the image of the Aston Martin brand until the end of the 1960s. The DB4, whose body Touring had designed in Milan , was seen as a successful synthesis of British technology and Italian style. In the literature, the DB4 is seen as the car that “brought the Gran Tourismo to Great Britain.” There were different body and engine variants that could be combined with one another. Aston Martin derived several particularly sporty versions of the DB4, including the DB4GT, which was offered with a factory body or alternatively with a body from Zagato .
History of origin
Aston Martin, founded in 1913, has belonged to David Brown , a British commercial vehicle manufacturer , since 1947 . The sports car manufacturer Lagonda also belonged to the group . At the beginning of the David Brown era, both brands were merged. At that time, Lagonda had an in- line six-cylinder engine designed by Walter Owen Bentley on offer, which was clearly superior to the outdated four-cylinder Aston Martins. David Brown used the Lagonda engine as the standard engine on Aston Martin models in the 1950s. In 1955, David Brown finally took over the Newport Pagnell- based body construction company Salmsons & Sons , which sold its products under the brand name Tickford and had previously manufactured bodies for the Lagonda 2.6 liter and 3 liter models . This acquisition enabled David Brown to move Aston Martin production from the small and outdated main plant in Feltham to larger premises in Newport Pagnell.
In the 1950s, Aston Martin offered the DB2 sports car, which was further developed over the years to become the 2/4 Mark III. The coupes and convertibles were pure two-seaters. Since 1955, under the direction of John Wyer , the company had been working on a larger successor that would seat four people and be powered by a newly designed, larger engine. The chassis designer was Harold Beach, and the engine was developed by Tadek Marek . The result was the DB4, which was presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1958 .
The DB4 was the first Aston Martin to be built in Newport Pagnell. The car was not fully developed when it was presented. Numerous defects, especially in the area of drive technology, made continuous further development necessary in the following years, the results of which were gradually adopted into series production. With a view to the individual development steps, the models of the DB4 are usually divided into five series in the literature, which followed one another, but sometimes also merged smoothly. The last model, the DB4 Series V, is for its part largely identical to the first series of the successor model DB5.
The DB4 was available as a hatchback coupe ("Saloon") and as a convertible ("Convertible") with a notchback. In addition, Aston Martin also produced some special versions, which were characterized by higher engine power and sometimes also by a shorter wheelbase. The most popular special model today is the DB4 GT Zagato . A unique piece called Jet was also dressed by Bertone . The four-door Lagonda Rapide sedan presented in 1961 is also derived from the DB4 .
Technology and body
engine
The Aston Martin DB4 is powered by an in-line six-cylinder gasoline engine designed by Tadek Marek. Initially, there were considerations to equip the new Aston Martin with a twelve-cylinder engine, which was used under the name Lagonda at some motorsport events. In the end, however, this engine was not considered for series production because of its unreliability. There were also ideas for a V8 engine, but ultimately the in-line six-cylinder concept prevailed.
The engine for the DB4 has been completely redesigned. Unlike the engine of the DB2, Marek's new design was designed as a square: the bore and stroke were each 92 mm, with a displacement of 3670 cm³. Initially, Marek and Wyer planned an engine block made of gray cast iron . However, Aston Martin failed to find a suitable foundry during the development phase. At the beginning of 1956, Wyer and Marek therefore decided on a new construction made of aluminum. This made the new engine 30 percent lighter than its smaller, weaker predecessor. The first copies overheated easily. The power was transmitted to the rigid rear axle via a fully synchronized gearbox. Aston Martin installed a single-plate dry clutch as standard. For sports use, however, a two-disc dry clutch was used on individual models.
Chassis and body
First, Wyer had Aston Martins own designer Frank Feeley design a body for the new model. Feeley designed a body with a high, almost vertical front section, a low roof and a wide C-pillar , which was perceived as very conservative or “old-fashioned”. Aston Martin made a prototype called the DP 114 based on Feeley's templates, but management rejected the design. The DP 114 still exists; it is shown at exhibitions from time to time today. Instead, Wyer commissioned the Milan-based Carrozzeria Touring, which had recently designed three Spyders based on the DB2 / 4 Mark II, to develop a new body. Touring designed its own Superleggera superstructure for the DB4 , in which aluminum sheets were pulled over a tubular steel frame that was firmly connected to the chassis. Federico Formenti and Bianchi Anderloni designed the shape . The lines remained largely unchanged during the production period, apart from some detail modifications; It was only with the introduction of the 5th series in autumn 1962 that the body was revised on the front and on the roof.
The Superleggera structure of the body could not be connected to the box frame that Harold Beach initially intended for the new model. Instead, there was a platform frame made up of several parts for the construction of the Touring.
The front wheels were individually suspended on double wishbones and provided with rack and pinion steering. The coil-sprung rear rigid axle was guided lengthways on four links and a Watt linkage across. Servo-assisted disc brakes were installed on all four wheels . Aston Martin got them initially from Dunlop , later from Girling .
Models
DB4 saloon
The standard model was the closed two-door DB4. It was manufactured in five series, which differed from one another in details:
- Series 1 (October 1958 to January 1960; chassis numbers 101 to 249).
- Series 2 (February 1960 to April 1961; chassis numbers 250 to 600): The oil circuit was enlarged from 8.5 to 9.6 and later to 12 liters. An oil cooler, an overdrive and power windows were available on request and at an additional cost. The design of the window frames changed.
- Series 3 (April to September 1961; chassis numbers 601 to 765): It can be recognized by the newly designed taillights, which now consisted of three individual lights and rested on a chrome-plated holder.
- Series 4 (September 1961 to October 1962; chassis numbers 766 to 950): The scoop on the bonnet has been made smaller. There were again changed taillights and a new radiator grille with seven cross bars instead of the previous honeycomb.
- Series 5 (October 1962 to June 1963; chassis numbers 1001 to 1215): The front section has been redesigned. The standard DB4 received recessed headlights clad with Plexiglas, which were previously installed on the DB4 Vantage. The roof line has been raised; there were also rear fenders on display. Both served to increase the space in the rear.
The DB4 was initially only sold in Great Britain in order to be able to fix warranty cases quickly and cheaply. When the car was available in Germany through the Düsseldorf importer Peter Lindner , it cost 46,000 DM, 13,000 DM more than a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL .
DB4 Convertible
Along with the introduction of the Series IV saloon, Aston Martin introduced a convertible version of the DB4 in the fall of 1961, known as a convertible . The designation Volante , which later became common for open Aston Martins and can also be found in some publications on the DB4, was not yet used by the movement on this model.
Apart from the roof section, the open model designed not by Touring but by Harold Beach was stylistically similar to the closed model. When the V series was introduced, the convertible followed the related stylistic changes to the front end.
From a technical point of view, the lack of the roof made some changes necessary. In order to reduce the twisting of the open car, the front and rear bulkheads and the side skirts have been reinforced. The windshield was higher to better protect the passengers against the wind. The tank construction was completely different from the closed model. While the saloon had a large tank behind the back seat, the convertible had two small tanks, each housed in the side of the fenders. The convertible's tank volume was a total of 13 liters smaller than the closed model. This hood of the Convertible consisted of PVC. The roof mechanism was designed so that the roof could be opened and closed by one person. There was no electrically assisted mechanism with the DB4 Convertible. Overall, the convertible was 23 kg heavier than the saloon . The purchase price of the DB4 Convertible was £ 364 higher than the closed model.
There was also a very rare hard top that was on sale for £ 200. At the same time, a Mini was £ 500. A total of 70 DB4 convertibles were produced.
DB4 GT
The Aston Martin DB4 GT was a particularly light and powerful version of the DB4. It was presented in 1959.
Factory version
Compared to the regular DB4, the GT's wheelbase was shortened by 127 mm to 2362 mm. The DB4 GT was thus a pure two-seater, the doors of which were significantly shortened. The side windows and the rear window were made of lightweight Plexiglas, and various technical components that were primarily used for convenience were removed. This included the servo support for the brakes, which is supplied as standard in the saloon. As a result of these changes, the weight of the DB4 GT was 69 kg less than the standard model. In the case of five examples, some chassis parts were also made of aluminum, which further reduced the weight of the car.
In terms of style, the DB4 GT took over the basic shape of the GT4 Saloon. However, the front section was redesigned. The headlights were set back in the fenders and provided with a plexiglass cover. This improved the wind slippage ( c w value ) of the structure. This front design was adopted from the standard DB4 with the introduction of Series 5.
The DB4 GT had a revised engine. Unlike the standard engine of the saloon, it was equipped with double ignition and three Weber double carburetors. There was also a double choke and a higher compression of 9: 1. According to the factory, the engine output was 302 bhp (222 kW). However, this information is generally doubted. Usually an output of 270 bhp is assumed to be realistic. Aston Martin offered five different axle ratios. With the longest gear ratio, the DB4 GT reached a top speed of 246 km / h. The best possible acceleration from zero to 100 km / h took place in 6.2 seconds.
The development of the DB4 GT had its origins in motorsport. A prototype of the DB4 GT appeared at the BRDC International Trophy in May 1959 . The racing driver Stirling Moss won a framework race with him. Half a year later the DB4 GT was presented to the public at the London Motor Show. The selling price was £ 4,670. It was £ 586 (the equivalent of a Mini) more expensive than the DB4 Saloon. The DB4 GT was built in 75 copies. The car was often used at motorsport events, but was mostly inferior to the similarly configured Ferrari cars .
In 2017, production of the DB4 GT was resumed and 25 more copies were made according to the original plans for collectors.
DB4 GT Zagato
Based on the DB4 GT, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was created as a separate model . Its development went back to Tony Crook , who was co-owner of the Aston Martin competitor Bristol and at the same time Zagato's exclusive representative for Great Britain. The DB4 GT Zagato had a stylistically independent body that Ercole Spada had designed and which was perceived as "brutally beautiful". The engine output was increased once again to now 314 hp; the entire vehicle was significantly lighter than the standard DB4 GT. The public presentation of the model took place in October 1960 at the London Earls Court Motor Show. Zagato produced a total of 19 examples of this vehicle, each of which differed in terms of style. They are now considered Sanction I called. The cars were often used in motorsport. The British team Essex Racing Stable, for example, registered two vehicles for the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1961 . In the 1980s and 1990s, four ( Sanction II ) and later two more ( Sanction III ) replicas of the DB4 GT Zagato were made.
The DB4 GT Zagato is one of the most expensive classics on the classic car market today. A copy of the Sanction I sold for £ 14.3 million in 2015.
Aston Martin DB4 GT Bertone Jet
The last chassis of the DB4 GT series was given a separate body by the Italian designer and body manufacturer Bertone . The car had the additional designation Jet . The notchback body of the Jet was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro . The light green painted car was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961 and also appeared at the Turin Motor Show that same year . Nuccio Bertone was hoping for a small series; But there was not enough interest in the jet . In fact, given the Jaguar E-Type, which was presented in Geneva at the same time and was perceived as a sensation, the jet was hardly noticed. The prototype of the jet was sold to a customer in Beirut and later to the United States in the 1960s before Aston Martin took it over and restored it. It has been shown at various classic exhibitions since the 1990s and has won several awards. In 2013 it was sold at auction for € 4 million.
In the decades that followed, Aston Martin repeatedly used the name Jet for various prototypes and one-offs, most recently in 2013 for a customized Shooting Brake based on the Aston Martin Rapide .
DB4 Vantage
To mark the introduction of the Series IV in 1961, a high-performance Aston Martin DB4 Vantage was also offered. The car had the regular wheelbase of the DB4 Saloon but was fitted with a revised engine, the performance of which was between that of the standard model and that of the DB4GT. The Vantage's engine had three SU carburetors and redesigned cylinder heads that were fitted with larger valves. so that it achieved an output of 266 bhp (196 kW). Most Vantage were also fitted with the headlights from the DB4 GT. The Vantage version was offered for both Series IV and Series V in closed and open versions. There were a total of 136 saloons and 32 convertibles with the Vantage engine.
Aston Martin built a copy of the series V-Vantage in 1963 as a prototype for the upcoming DB5 (chassis number DP216 / 1). After its shutdown, this prototype was used as a prop in the James Bond film Goldfinger .
DB4 Vantage GT
Another combination from the DB4 kit was the connection of the regular saloon body with the engine of the DB4 GT. They were even more powerful than the DB4 Vantage, which was also based on the regular chassis. These vehicles, which were individually manufactured on customer request, were given the designation DB4 Vantage GT in the literature, which was not used at the factory. A total of 14 copies were made from 1960: three Series III vehicles that were subsequently converted to this configuration, five from Series IV and six from Series V. The DB4 Vantage GT are among the most sought-after classics today.
Variants for racing
From the DB4 and the DB4 GT, Aston Martin derived several racing vehicles in the early 1960s, which were used by the factory and by private teams at motorsport events.
Aston Martin DP 212
The Aston Martin DP 212 was an enclosed sports car designed to take part in the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans . He used the largely unchanged box frame of the series DB4 and had an in-line six-cylinder engine enlarged to 3995 cm³ and a modified wheel suspension. The rounded body was independent, but had similarities in details to the DBT4GT Zagato. Richie Ginther and Graham Hill competed at Le Mans with the DP 212 in 1962. After the first lap, Hill was in the lead. However, the car broke down after six hours due to a piston damage. Previously, the car had proven to be aerodynamically problematic: the rounded rear section produced too little downforce.
Aston Martin DP 214
For the 24-hour race at Le Mans in 1963 , Aston Martin built two copies of the DP 214 , which were intended for the production car class. They were equipped with an in-line six-cylinder engine from the DT4 GT, the displacement of which had been increased slightly to 3750 cm³. The performance was given as 317 bhp. In contrast to the DP 212, the DP 214 had a hatchback (so-called comb-back ), which Aston Martin later adopted for the DB6. The DP 214 were considered to be very fast; they were the first cars to go faster than 300 km / h on the Mulsanne straight of the Circuit des 24 Heures . During the race, both cars retired again due to piston damage. The DP 214s were launched in several other long-distance races in the course of 1963. They achieved the best result at the Inter Europa Cup in Monza , which Roy Salvadori won and Lucien Bianchi finished third. At the beginning of the 1964 season, the cars were sold to private teams who entered them in various races. At 1000 km race at the Nurburgring in 1964 crashed Brian Hetreed fatal in a DP 214. The remaining car took until 1973 repeated in races in part. It has now been extensively restored.
literature
- Mark Ewing: One Fine Lorry. In: Sports Car International. , No. 6.9, 1990, pp. 28-30
- Dieter Günther: Changing of the guard . Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6 in: Oldtimer Markt , issue 11/1994, p. 212 ff.
- Andrew Noakes: Aston Martin fascination . Parragon, Bath 2006, ISBN 978-1-4054-7900-4 .
- William Presland: Aston Martin V8 . Crowood Press 2009. ISBN 978-1-84797 066-4
- Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 10 ff.
- Rainer Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrinck, Jochen von Osterroth: Aston Martin . Verlag Könemann 2005. ISBN 3-8331-1058-9 .
- Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8
- Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models . Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 .
Web links
- DB4 / DB4 Convertible on astonmartin.com (English)
- DB4 GT / DB4 GT Zagato on astonmartin.com (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models . Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 , p. 95.
- ↑ Andrew Noakes: Fascination Aston Martin . Parragon, Bath 2006, ISBN 978-1-4054-7900-4 , p. 30.
- ^ Robert Coucher: Lagonda 3 liter . Classic Cars Special 1994: English Oldtimers, p. 72.
- ^ Dieter Günther: Changing of the guard . Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/1994, p. 212.
- ↑ Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 15.
- ↑ a b Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 16.
- ↑ a b c Dieter Günther: Changing of the guard . Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/1994, p. 217.
- ↑ a b Sam Tonkin: Aston Martin dubbed 'the greatest of all time' and built to take on Ferrari set to fetch £ 10million when it goes under the hammer in New York. www.dailymail.co.uk, October 15, 2015, accessed March 22, 2016 .
- ↑ Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8 , p. 33.
- ↑ Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8 , p. 45.
- ↑ Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models . Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 , p. 93.
- ↑ a b Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 12.
- ↑ Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 19.
- ↑ Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 14.
- ↑ Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8 , p. 36.
- ↑ Illustration of the Aston Martin DP 114
- ↑ Andrew Noakes: Fascination Aston Martin . Parragon, Bath 2006, ISBN 978-1-4054-7900-4 , S: 58.
- ↑ Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8 , p. 39.
- ^ Dieter Günther: Changing of the guard . Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6 in: Oldtimer Markt , issue 11/1994, p. 213.
- ↑ Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8 , p. 44.
- ↑ aston.co.uk - Aston Martin DB4 Convertible Brochure ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) (English)
- ↑ The following list follows the overview on the website www.astonservicedorset.com (accessed on April 4, 2016).
- ↑ The chassis numbers 951 to 1000 were assigned to the Vantage series.
- ↑ a b Dieter Günther: Changing of the guard . Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/1994, p. 215.
- ↑ Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 17.
- ↑ a b c d Jonathan Wood: Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6: The Complete Story , The Crowood Press Ltd (August 3, 2000), ISBN 978-1-86126-330-8 , p. 79.
- ↑ a b c d e f Michael Schäfer: Four wins . Description of the Aston Martin DB4 in: Oldtimer Markt, issue 11/2008, p. 18.
- ↑ a b Rainer Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrinck, Jochen von Osterroth: Aston Martin . Verlag Könemann 2005. ISBN 3-8331-1058-9 , p. 140.
- ↑ Uli Baumann: Aston Martin DB4 GT is coming back: Only 25 are being built - auto motor und sport. auto-motor-und-sport.de, accessed on June 9, 2018 .
- ^ A b Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models . Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 , p. 103.
- ^ New York - Driven By Disruption. rmsothebys.com, December 10, 2015, accessed March 22, 2016 .
- ↑ Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models . Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 , p. 105.
- ↑ Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models . Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 , p. 99.
- ↑ Description and images of the DBT4 GT Bertone Jet on the website of the Bonhams auction house (accessed on April 8, 2016).
- ↑ Description and illustration of a DB 4 Vantage GT on the website of the Bonhams auction house (accessed on April 8, 2016).
- ↑ Andrew Noakes: Fascination Aston Martin . Parragon, Bath 2006, ISBN 978-1-4054-7900-4 , pp. 67 and 69 f.