1973 Aston Martin DBS

The Aston Martin DBS was unveiled at the 1967 Earls Court Motor Show. Designed by William Towns, who had been brought in at short notice when Carozzeria Touring of Milan went into receivership, the car was designed to replace the DB6. It is a front-engine, rear wheel drive coupe with 2+2 seating that allows plenty of space for four adults, and is more of a GT than an out and out sports car. A single example of the shooting brake was made by FLM Panelcraft. Continuing the James Bond tradition, the DBS was used by George Lazenby’s 007 in the 1969 film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”.

The DBS design, intended to modernise the Aston Martin brand, had crisp American overtones with sharp lines, a full-width grille and four headlights. It would be the last Aston Martin to be powered by the Tadek Marek 3995cc, six-cylinder engine and was available in both standard and Vantage forms. The DB6 chassis was widened 4½ inches and stretched 2 inches and a de Dion rear axle was fitted. Gearboxes were either a ZF 5-speed manual or a Chrysler 3-speed automatic. The body was made in-house, using as many stock parts as possible.

Despite its modern looks, the Aston Martin DBS weighed 300 lbs more than the DB6, and even with the 325 bhp Vantage engine, it took 8.5 seconds from 0-60 mph. As a result, in 1969 it received the 375 bhp fuel-injected 5.3-litre V8 at which point 0-60 mph took 5.9 seconds and the top speed rose to 160 mph. Opinions differ, but it seems about 830 DBS models were built (including Vantages) before David Brown’s retirement in 1972, and a further 70 Vantages in the year after that. List price when new was £4,473 and £5,281 for the DBS V8. The Vantage specification, with high-compression pistons, higher profile cams and three Weber 45 DCOE carburettors was available for the 4 litre engine at no extra cost.

The six-cylinder DBS has been the entry point for Aston Martin ownership for 20 years and still under-performs the DB6, DB5 and DB4. The V8 is more highly prized, and commands a premium value as a consequence, but values still fall short of their older brothers.

Although values are lower than the earlier DB cars, the Aston Martin DBS can be expensive to maintain. Rust can be a major issue, especially on the sills where dirt can become trapped under the sill-covers. This can spread into the A and B pillars and the rear chassis legs. The DBS is a hand-crafted car, and as such can take much more time than would be usually expected to service and maintain. For example, changing the rear brake discs requires the differential to be dropped, and any chassis rust requires the aluminium bodywork to be removed. Mechanically, they are complex but strong, although detailed service records should be sought if peace of mind is desired.

Period alternatives include the Jensen FF, and the Ferrari GTB/4 Daytona and the Maserati Ghibli. Alternative Aston Martins include the DB6, the AMV8 and the V8 Vantage.