Lot 528: 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Competition Saloon

Launched at the London Motor Show in 1958, the Aston Martin DB4 emphatically demonstrated that a British manufacturer could better the Italians at their own game when it came to constructing the ultimate Gran Turismo. Its specification included a completely new steel platform chassis with disc brakes all round, and a freshly developed twin-cam six-cylinder engine, all clothed in a perfectly proportioned aluminium body designed by Touring of Milan. Overall, the DB4 was state-of-the-art for its time, a masterpiece of robust British engineering combined with exquisite Italian styling.

Engineered under the watchful eye of Harold Beech, the immensely strong platform-type chassis replaced the DB2/4’s multi-tubular spaceframe, the latter being considered incompatible with Touring’s Superleggera body construction which employed its own lightweight tubular structure to support the hand-formed aluminium-alloy body panels. The DB2/4’s trailing-link ifs gave way to unequal-length wishbones, while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by Watts linkage instead of its predecessor’s Panhard rod.

The new car’s competition potential had been recognised from the outset, and the factory lost no time in developing a lightweight version suitable for racing, the resulting DB4GT debuting at the 1959 London Motor Show. The model had already been proven in competition earlier that year when the prototype (‘DP/199’) driven by Stirling Moss won its first race at Silverstone. Those wishing to race the latest Aston Martin but unable to obtain a limited-edition DB4GT or its even more exclusive Zagato-bodied variant were forced to use the ‘ordinary’ road car, and today modified DB4s remain a mainstay of Aston Martin Owners Club and other important historic sports car events.

Chassis number ‘622/R’ was converted from a road car to a competition car back in the late 1990s and raced by Andy Jenkinson, Tom Alexander and Peter Wilson with success, including the 2001 and 2004 AMOC ‘Overall Champion’ awards. Acquired by the current owner in 2005 and fastidiously maintained by respected specialist John Young of Roxwell Racing, the car has recently returned from the ‘David Piper’ tour to South Africa as a class winner. This DB4 qualifies for the Spa 6 Hours, Tour Auto and the ‘Gentlemen Drivers’ championship amongst many other such events and series, and comes with full FIA Papers (Appendix K). Road-registered ‘USL 309’ in the UK and freshly MoT’d, the car is offered with history file, sundry maintenance invoices, specification listing and UK Swansea V5 registration document. An exciting opportunity to acquire a competitive DB4 with proven capability, wanting only for a fortunate new owner to continue its distinguished racing career.