Aston Martin DBS
| Aston Martin | |
|---|---|
 Aston Martin DBS Coupé (1967–1972)
|
|
| DBS | |
| Production period: | 1967-1972 |
| Class : | Sports car |
| Body versions : | Coupe |
| Engines: |
Otto engine : 4.0 liters (207–239 kW) |
| Length: | 4585 mm |
| Width: | 1830 mm |
| Height: | 1325 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2610 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1706 kg |
| Previous model | Aston Martin DB6 |
| successor | Aston Martin V8 I. |
The Aston Martin DBS is a Gran Turismo from the British car manufacturer Aston Martin . The first model of this name was built from 1967 to 1972. It is the forerunner of the Aston Martin V8, which was built until 1989 .
history
The DBS was the successor to the established Aston Martin DB6 . The main difference between the car and its predecessor was a completely redesigned body and a new suspension; the engine, however, initially remained unchanged.
The decision to replace the DB6 was made in 1966. The plan was to sell its successor with a new engine right from the start. An eight-cylinder engine had been in development for some time. Engine prototypes were tested as early as 1967 and even tried out in racing. However, it turned out that the new engine was not reliable and still required some development work. Aston Martin presented the new Coupé, known as DBS, which had already been technically designed for the eight-cylinder engine, therefore initially with the tried-and-tested six-cylinder engine from the DB6. It was not until two years later that the eight-cylinder went on sale under the name DBS V8. For a while, both models were offered in parallel.
The name of the new car was deliberately chosen with DBS (instead of the DB7 that would actually be expected ). The name should be reminiscent of a tight, two-seater coupe called the Aston Martin DBSC, which the Carrozzeria Touring had presented in the summer of 1965 and which had been positively received by the public.
DBS
body
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The Carrozzeria Touring in Milan, which had already designed the DB4 , DB5 and DB6 models , was initially commissioned again with the design of a body . Touring produced two prototypes of a purely two-seater coupe that were presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1966 . Both designs, which differed in detail, were comparatively inelegant, so that David Brown decided against series production of this model.
The second draft was then created in-house. William Towns , a former designer of the Rootes Group , whom Aston Martin initially hired to design seats in the early 1960s, was now responsible . In the sources there is an indication that Towns had planned a four-door and a two-door version from the start. The four-door version is said to have been designed first, before this design was shortened to a two-door coupé in a second step. Towns was of the opinion that it was easier to shorten a four-door than to lengthen a two-door (for a later sedan version).
The coupe carried a slowly sloping hatchback with narrow rear side windows. The sideline was slightly curved; the back of the car was designed as a demolition rear. Overall, the design looked powerful and independent. Critical observers want to see a similarity with American muscle cars ; the side view in particular brings back memories of the Ford Mustang from the first series. William Towns, however, declared decades later that he was inspired by the Chevrolet Camaro .
A special feature of the Towns design were the four round headlights integrated into the radiator grille. Hillman Hunter taillights were installed at the rear .
Towns' body design was quickly accepted by Aston Martin management. It formed the basis for all Aston Martin models that were to be manufactured over the next 20 years.
technology
The DBS used a heavily revised chassis from the DB6, the dimensions of which were changed so that it could accommodate an eight-cylinder engine. The old-fashioned rear axle construction of the DB6 was replaced by a De-Dion axle with Watt linkage and trailing arms, there were triangular wishbones, coil springs and corner stabilizer at the front.
engine
The DBS was initially only available with the six-cylinder Tadek Marek known from the DB6. The engine made 207 kW (282 hp) in the basic version, but there was also a DBS Vantage with 239 kW (325 hp) for the same price. The Vantage had a compression ratio of 9.4: 1 and was fed by three double carburetors. Optionally there was also a version with gasoline injection, which, however, did not significantly increase the performance. Overall, the Vantage version of the DBS was slower than the DB6 because it was heavier and less aerodynamically designed than the old model. The customer could choose between a BorgWarner automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission.
production
The Aston Martin DBS was presented to the public at the 1967 Paris Motor Show; immediately afterwards sales began. The DB6 was produced in parallel for a while as a coupe and as a Volante; At the end of 1970, the obsolete series was finally discontinued.
The DBS Coupé was sold under the name Aston Martin DBS until the summer of 1972. After David Brown sold the company to Company Developments in 1972, the name DBS was abandoned to erase any reference to David Brown. The Aston Martin DBS with six cylinder engine was produced in a total of 787 copies. The last 70 copies were sold after the company was taken over by Company Developments; they were called Aston Martin Vantage (even if they did not use the upgraded engine).
The Aston Martin DBS was very expensive. The car was offered in Switzerland in 1969 at a price of 62,000 Swiss francs. A Maserati Mexico was available for the same amount , and a Ferrari 365 GT 2 + 2 was available for 65,500 Swiss francs. Measured against this, the performance of the DBS was disappointing from the point of view of many customers.
DBS V8
With the Aston Martin DBS V8, the car was finally presented in 1969 that Aston Martin had already wanted to offer in 1967: an attractively designed coupé with a contemporary, powerful eight-cylinder.
engine
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At the London Motor Show in September 1969, Aston Martin presented the DBS V8 with a new eight-cylinder engine made of light alloy, the origins of which go back to 1965. The engine had been developed again by Tadek Marek and was still based on his six-cylinder engine. In particular, the bore of the six-cylinder (96 millimeters) was retained so that the same pistons could be used to save costs. The engine had a displacement of 5.3 liters and delivered 350 hp in its first version. It had already been extensively tested in the past, including an (unsuccessful) race in a Lola T70 . With this engine, the Aston Martin DBS V8 was faster than 240 km / h. However, the consumption was extremely high. The German trade journal auto motor und sport determined a consumption of 28 liters per 100 kilometers in 1970.
Outwardly, the DBS V8 differed only slightly from the six-cylinder model. He also wore the DBS face with the four round double headlights.
production
The Aston Martin DBS V8 was produced in 402 copies from 1970 to 1972. For a short time it was built parallel to the DBS, the DB6 and the DB6 Volante. After the end of the David Brown era, the model received a new front section and was sold under the name Aston Martin V8 Saloon .
Special models
Shooting Brake
The British bodywork Coachwork FLM Panelcraft produced a two-door station wagon on the basis of the Aston Martin DBS as a one-off in 1971. It was a work on behalf of a Scottish nobleman. The vehicle was powered by the well-known six-cylinder model. A special feature was a chrome-plated luggage rack that took up the entire length of the roof and was intended to transport fishing rods, among other things. Unlike the previous models based on the DB5 and DB6, the curved belt line did not harmonize with the otherwise straight-line rear structure. The one-piece tailgate came from the station wagon version of the Hillman Hunter .
limousine
In 1969 David Brown had a four-door sedan built on the basis of the DBS. This was a body version that was part of William Towns' design concept right from the start. The vehicle was called the Lagonda DBS V8 . The car was already equipped with the eight-cylinder DBS. At first it remained a one-off until 1974 when the new Aston Martin management began series production of the sedan. The vehicle - now with the front section of the Aston Martin V8 - was sold under the name Aston Martin Lagonda . A total of only seven copies were made between 1974 and 1976.
Motorsport
With the DBS, the name Aston Martin returned to the world of sports car racing. The Aston Martin dealer Robin Hamilton, with factory support, prepared a private DBS for participation in endurance races. The car, which was continuously developed in the course of the 1980s, was given chassis number RHAM1 in 1974. It had an aerodynamically revised compared to the standard models, forward sloping front end and was equipped with the 5.3-liter eight-cylinder engine, which initially four Weber - carburetor was ventilated. The engine's output was given as 520 hp; the top speed was 303 km / h.
Hamilton entered the car for the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1977 . After problems with classification and qualification, it was finally admitted to the race. The drivers were Hamilton and Mike Salmon . They finished the race in 17th place overall. For the 1978 Le Mans 24-hour race , Hamilton fitted the RHAM1 engine with a turbocharger. This should increase the power to 800 hp. The charged engine consumed 120 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers in a test drive. Since the RHAM1 was not competitive in this form, Hamilton withdrew the report shortly before the start of the race. In the following year , the RHAM1 was equipped with petrol injection. Hamilton and Derek Bell had to struggle with the overweight of the car and insufficiently dimensioned brakes. After three hours the team gave up.
Technical specifications
| Aston Martin DBS Coupé (1967–1972) |
Aston Martin DBS Vantage Coupé (1967–1972) |
Aston Martin DBS V8 Coupé (1969–1972) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Cylinder / engine type | Six cylinder in - line engine | Eight cylinders - V engine | |
| Displacement | 3995 cc | 5340 cc | |
| Performance in min -1 | 201 kW (282 PS) / 5500 | 239 kW (325 PS) / 5500 | 261 kW (350 PS) / 5500 |
| Torque at min -1 | 390 Nm / 3850 | 568 Nm / 3500 | |
| drive | Rear wheel | ||
| transmission | 5-speed gearshift | ||
| BorgWarner - automatic | 3-stage automatic | ||
| 0-60 mph (0-97 km / h) | 7.1 s | 7.1 s (0-100 km / h) | |
| V max | 225 km / h | 225 km / h | 241.7 km / h |
| fuel | great | ||
| Empty weight | 1588 kg | 1840 kg | |
| Factory price | £ 4,473 | £ 5,281 | |
Trivia
- The DBS was driven by James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service . There were no special installations in this bond car as in the Aston Martin DB5 used earlier . In the final scene of the film, James Bond's wife, Tracy, is shot dead in the car. In the movie Diamond Fever with Sean Connery in the lead role, one sees such a DBS in the background of a phone call scene. There the car is being loaded with missiles. The 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera On Her Majesty's Secret Service (OHMSS) Special Edition was issued as a reminiscence of the film car due to the 50th anniversary of the film .
- In the television series Die 2 , Roger Moore drives a DBS in the role of Lord Brett Sinclair, which was optically prepared as a DBS V8. The color was "Bahama Yellow".
Market situation
The Aston Martin DBS with the six-cylinder engine is an underrated classic. In the classic car market it is clearly in the shadow of the V8 , so that an expensive restoration is rarely worthwhile from an economic point of view. Well-preserved DBS were available in 2009 for prices of around 40,000 euros.
literature
- Heavy athlete . Driving report Aston Martin DBS Vantage (with development history) in Motor Klassik 11/1997, p. 22 ff.
- Aston Martin DBS . Presentation and driving report in: British Classic Cars , Issue 3/2007, p. 32 ff.
- Andrew Noakes: Aston Martin fascination . Parragon Publishing (2006), ISBN 978-1405479004
- The flying gentleman's room: Aston Martin DBS and V8 , in: Oldtimer Markt 5/2004, p. 186 ff.
- Estate Agents. Exploring the unorthodox world of the Aston Martin Shooting Brakes and its makers . Presentation of Coachwork FLM Panelcraft in: Classic & Sports Car 3/2002 (English)
Web links
- DBS / DBS V8 on astonmartin.com (English)
- 6-cylinder car from Newport Pagnell (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Motor Klassik 11/1997, p. 22 with images of the Touring prototypes
- ↑ William Presland: Aston Martin V8 . Crowood Press 2009. ISBN 978-1-84797 066-4 , p. 20.
- ^ Klaus Westrup: Test Aston Martin DBS V8, Going strong . In: Paul Pietsch, Ludwig Vogel (ed.): Auto motor und sport . No. 16/1971 . United Motor-Verlage GmbH, Stuttgart, Stuttgart July 31, 1971, p. 60 .
- ↑ British Classic Cars, 3/2007, p. 32 ff.
- ↑ Motor Klassik, 2/2009, p. 77
Current models: DB5 | DB11 | DBS GT Zagato | DBS Superleggera | DBX | Rapide | Vantage | V12 Speedster
Future models: Valkyrie | Valhalla
Historical models: Bulldog | Cygnet | DB1 | DB2 | DB2 / 4 | DB4 | DB4 GT Zagato | DB5 | DB6 | DB7 | DB9 | DB10 | DBS (1967) | DBS (2007) | Lagonda | Lagonda Rapide | Lagonda Taraf | One-77 | V8 (1972) | V8 Vantage (1977) | V8 (1996) | V8 Zagato | V12 Vanquish | V12 Zagato | Vanquish | Vanquish Zagato | Vantage (1972) | Vantage (2005) | Virage (1989) | Virage (2011)
Motorsport: DBR1 | DBR2 | DB3 | DBR4 | DBR5 | DBR9 | DBRS9 | Vulcan | Lola-Aston Martin LMP1