Vintage Racing Services

1966 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage

This is an original example of the successor to the famous car that James Bond drove in several film versions of enthusiast Ian Fleming’s 007 thrillers.  Ready for your own excitement— stirring, not shaken.

History

The origins of Aston Martin are less well known than many other famous marques, but the automobiles have always accounted well for themselves.  Founders Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin sold and prepared Singer automobiles for hillclimb competition in the pre-WWI era.  Martin’s hillclimb performance in these cars at Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire provided inspiration for the Aston Martin name when Bamford and Martin determined to build their own car.

The first Aston Martin was registered in 1915, and an Aston Martin competed in the French GP in 1922.  Aston Martin’s first entry at Le Mans was recorded in 1928 and production of 140 automobiles in 1937 marked the high point of pre-WWII production.  Aston Martin—as well as Lagonda—came under the control of industrialist David Brown in 1947 who added the DB moniker to Aston Martin models.

Two DB2 prototypes were readied for Le Mans in 1948 and in 1951 DB2 prototypes came 1-2-3 in the 3-liter class at the 24 Hours.  Production of the DB2/4 (4 seat) followed in 1953.  A series of DBR sports racing cars were built throughout the 1950s while production of the DB2/4 continued with Mk II and III modifications.

The DB4 went into production in 1958 and Aston Martin won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 with a DBR1 driven by Stirling Moss and Carroll Shelby—the high point of Aston Martin racing heritage.  The DB5 went into production in 1963 and appeared with James Bond in Goldfinger in 1964, making it arguably the most famous sports car in the world.  The DB6 was introduced the following year.

DB6 Vantage

The Aston Martin DB6 introduced at the 1965 Motor Show was also the first model to be built following a factory move from Feltham to Newport Pagnell. From the front, the DB6 looked almost identical to the DB5; the greatest difference is in the rear panels which incorporate the abruptly cut-off Kammback design that was the aerodynamic rage in the day.  The tail, combined with a relocated rear axel and 3.75-inch (95mm) lengthened wheelbase, provided more stability at high speeds.

Several advanced features were found on the DB6, built between 1965-1971.  These included adjustable suspension with four settings from soft to hard, factory air conditioning and front seat headrests.  All cars were equipped with Borrani wire wheels.

The DB6 Vantage model represented a high performance variant, equipped with three Weber carburetors and a higher compression cylinder head raising output from 282 to 325hp.

Specifications

Chassis:  DB6/2636/R
Engine:  4-liter, 6-cylinder dohc
Engine Number:  400/2657/V
Transmission:  ZF 5-speed manual
Brakes:  disc
Color:  Black/saddle hide
Mileage:  92,291
Price:  $150,000

Market Intelligence

Recent Auction Est:  $150,000
Recent Sale:  RM Auctions, Monterey 2008,      $150,000