1967 Aston Martin DB6 Coupe

The Aston Martin DB6 was introduced at the 1965 London Motor Show and was the ultimate development of touring-designed sports saloons that began with the DB4 in 1958. It had the front fascia of the DB5 with a race-bred Kamm tail and a long wheelbase. The result was a vehicle that had great handling at high speeds and improved space for rear passengers. Powering the DB6 was the Tadek Marek-designed four-liter, all-alloy dual overhead cam six-cylinder engine carried over from the DB5. The rare, optional high-tune Vantage engines adopted an exhaust-cam profile from the DB4GT, giving it a zero-to-sixty mph time of just over six seconds and a quarter-mile performance reminiscent of the earlier GT car.

This Aston Martin DB6 is one of 1,321 saloon-bodied Mark I examples produced between October 1965 and July 1969. There were even fewer configured as left-hand-drive cars with the Vantage-engine option, such as this example.

This car was ordered new on January 12th of 1967 by Monsieur Herbert Kenmore of London through Garage Mirabeau, the official Aston Martin sales agent of Paris. The car was given the powerful Vantage engine and a 3.71:1 limited-slip differential, as well as chrome wire wheels and a heated rear screen.

Since the car was ordered as a left-hand drive example with the speedometer in miles per hour, it was believed that M. Kenmore was a native Frenchman residing in London.

The 3995cc alloy dual overhead cam six-cylinder engine is fitted with three Weber carburetors and offers 325 horsepower. There is a five-speed manual ZF gearbox with a limited-slip differential and four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes.

In December of 1968, the car had 19,340 miles and was sold to its next owner, Willesden Engineering Company of London. By the early 1990s, the car was in California where it caught the attention of Greg Gussman, the proprietor of Autos Unlimited in Flagstaff, Arizona. Mr. Gussman purchased the car in early 1995. Mr. Gussman treated the car to gradual restoration and careful maintenance of the DB6. In 2004, the car was given a meticulous repaint in its original color of Midnight Blue sealed by three layers of clear coat.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Amelia Island, Florida. It was estimated to sell for $350,000 - $450,000. Bidding failed to satisfy the vehicle's reserve and it would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2012