1989 Aston Martin V-8

Aston Martin first applied the 'Vantage' name to a high-power version of the six-cylinder DBS; tuned with Italian-made Weber carburetors, horsepower rose from 280 bhp to 325 bhp. The V8 Vantage followed in 1977 and was regarded as 'Britain's First Supercar' for its 170 mph top speed. Capable of sprinting from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.4 seconds, it had comparable performance figures to those achieved by a Ferrari Daytona and Lamborghini Miura. With a 0-100 mph time of 12.7 seconds, the Vantage was the world's fastest-accelerating production car at that time. The factory's optional 'X-Pack' of engine enhancements raised peak power to 432 bhp, much higher than the 390 horsepower produced by the 12-cylinder Ferrari Testarossa.

The Aston Martin DBS, DBS V8, and V8

Aston Martin planned on powering its DBS with eight-cylinder power, but when the engine was not ready, the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. The Tadek Marek-designed V8 was ready two years later, and Aston released the DBS V8. The straight-six Vantage was discontinued in 1973, and the newly restyled DBS V8 was simply called the Aston Martin V8 (retroactively referred to as the Series 2 V8 to separate it from later models). Examples produced from May 1972 through July 1973 used a similar engine to the DBS V8 but with Bosch fuel injection rather than carburetors.

The Aston Martin V8 was a heavier car than its six-cylinder predecessor, and the eight-cylinder engine would suffer as emissions legislation became ever more strangulating. In 1973, Weber carburetors were installed to help it pass new stricter emissions standards in California, and a taller hood scoop helped accommodate the four twin-choke (two-barrel) Weber cars lurking in the engine bay. Initially, this configuration produced 310 horsepower, but performance-robbing emission regulations reduced the figure to 288 hp in 1976. The following year, a more powerful 'Stage 1' engine with new camshafts and exhaust returned much of the power lost, boosting output to 305 hp.

The Aston Martin V8 survived the company's changes of ownership and financial upheavals of the 1970s and was built in numerous variants.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage would enjoy a lengthy production lifespan, beginning in 1977 and continuing through 1989. During that time, a total of 534 examples were constructed with 192 of those being Volantes (convertible). The Vantage Volante was produced between 1986 and 1989; a Volante version first appeared in June 1978. A total of 38 examples (plus 13 US-spec models with regular engines) were Series 1, and 192 examples (plus 56 56 US-spec models with regular engines) were Series 2. The engine of the Series 1 used four 48IDF2/100 Weber carburetors and produced 390 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 406 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM.

The 5,340cc eight-cylinder engine initially breathed through a quartet of 48mm Weber carburetors rather than the standard 42mm units. The ports and valves were enlarged and the camshaft changed, resulting in the engine's output climbing to 375 bhp. A ZF five-speed manual transmission was standard equipment, though a handful of Vantages were built with the Torqueflite automatic gearbox. The chassis was improved to cope with the enhanced performance, gaining larger ventilated disc brakes all round and low-profile Pirelli tires. Distinguished styling features included a blocked-off bonnet scoop, a front chin spoiler, a lip on the boot lid, and a blanked air intake.

For customers seeking even more power, the company offered the optional 'X-Pack' (V580X), which raised peak power to 432 bhp. Improvements included Cosworth pistons, larger inlet ports and higher lift camshafts. With the air pumps needed to meet EEC emission regulations, output was between 410 and 420 bhp. Optional conversions from Works Services could increase this figure to 432 bhp with bigger bore airbox and manifolds, straight-through pipes, and larger 500mm carbs.

In 1988, Aston Martin introduced the replacement for its V8 models. Dubbed the Virage, it was shown at the Birmingham Motor Show and would continue to employ eight-cylinder power. The six-cylinder DB7 was introduced in 1994, and intended as an 'entry-level' model. The Virage would remain the company's top-of-the-line, exclusive, hand-built flagship model even after the Db7 became available with twelve-cylinder power. In 2000, the Virage was replaced by the Vanquish.

by Dan Vaughan

Volante Convertible Coupe
Chassis number: SCFCV81CXKTL15770
Engine number: V/585/5770/LFM

When the Aston Martin DBS entered production, it was powered by the DB6's 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine instead of a new V8. Production difficulties meant that the V8 engine was not ready in time for the launch of the DB6. The DBS was larger and more luxuriously appointed than its DB6 sibling, however, with the V6 engine it lacked the performance that many buyers were seeking. When the V8 finally arrived in 1969, those complaints were silenced. The four-cam 5340cc engine offered 315 horsepower and could reach 100 mph in under 14 seconds. The top speed was in the neighborhood of 160 mph.

After Aston Martin's acquisition by Company Developments in 1972, production resumed with the Series 2, now known as the Aston Martin V8. It was distinguishable by a restyled front end.

The V8, in production from 1969 to 1988, was built in several variants. One such variant was the Volante Convertible. The Volante first appeared in June of 1978 ad would last until 1989. V8 Volante and Vantage Volante chassis numbers ran from '15001' to '15849' and counted a total of 849 cars.

This particular V8 Volante example was hand built at Aston Martin's Newport Pagnell plant during the spring of 1989. It was among the last 80 cars produced in the last production year. It was given its final inspections in March of 1989 and was then shipped from the UK to its destination, the US. It left the factory with left-hand-drive steering arrangement and a 5-speed ZF manual transmission. It was finished in British Racing Green over a fawn-colored leather interior, beige carpeting, and a fawn Everflex convertible top. It is believed that this car is one of just 13 V8 Volantes produced for the U.S. market in 1989.

The car's first owner was Mr. A.M. Pilaro of Southampton, NY. Mr. Pilaro acquired the car through the Greenwich, CT-based Aston Martin agency, Miller Motors. The car is believed to have remained with this first owner until 2016.

Currently, the odometer shows less than 17,500 miles.

by Dan Vaughan

Volante Convertible Coupe
Chassis number: SCFCV81V2KTL15795

The Aston Martin DBS was introduced in 1967 and was intended to be powered by an all-new eight-cylinder engine. That engine was delayed and did not appear for nearly two years. By 1969 the new DBS V8 featured the long-awaited Tadek Marek-designed 5.3-litre, making it the first eight-cylinder Aston Martin production car. In 1972, the DBS V8 name was dropped for simply 'V8', and the straight-six DBS model was discontinued.

Along with a new nomenclature, the V8 also received significant visual and mechanical updates, notably a change to a two-headlight in-grille fascia and a larger and more prominently shaped iconic Aston grille. In 1978, a convertible version appeared (known as Volante) with a power-operated and fully lined soft top.

The Volante proved successful and by 1981 the coupe model was built only to order. Production would continue with updates and advancements through the 1989 model year.

This 1989 V8 Vantage Volante was completed at Aston Martin's factory on May 5, 1989. It is one of just 58 examples produced in the U.S. Vantage specification. It is visually distinguished from the standard Volante by its wider fender flares, kicked-up trunk lid, sill plates, and front air dam.

The car was delivered new to Palm Beach Motor Cars in West Palm Beach, Florida, and sold to Greg Norman, on July 25, 1989. Currently, the car has 7,890 miles on the odometer. It has the factory-applied Cannock Black paint and a black Everflex top. Inside, there is a Parchment leather-upholstered cabin, with contrasting black piping and carpets. The engine is a matching-numbers 5.3-liter V8 fitted with Weber-Marelli Electronic fuel injection and produces approximately 380 horsepower.

by Dan Vaughan

Volante Convertible Coupe
Chassis number: SCFCV81Z6JTL30026
Engine number: V/585/0026

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato Coupe was introduced nearly three decades after the DB4GT Zagato. Production was limited to just 50 examples and the entire order book was completely filled due to the strength of the basic concept, design drawings, and a scale model in Geneva in 1985. The Zagato bodywork was built from aluminum and the interior had the rear seats deleted, creating the first two-seat Aston Martin since the DB4GT. The Tadek Marek–designed 5.3-liter, four-cam V-8 was tuned to produce over 430 horsepower, giving the car a top speed of 186 km/h.

With the success of the Zagato coupe, plans were made for an open-top version. In 1987, Aston Martin introduced the Volante Zagato convertible at the Geneva Auto Show. The chassis was given more torsion rigidity to accommodate for the lack of a fixed roof. The Volante was fitted with the V/585 electronic fuel-injected V-8 which meant a bonnet bulge was no longer needed.

The current owner acquired the car in 2010 and then had it sent to Aston Martin Works, where a full restoration began, with the intention to upgrade the car both physically and mechanically to Vantage specification. Currently, the original engine is fitted with Weber carburetors which meant it required a power bulge. The front headlamps and grille were also modified to Vantage specification. Chassis 30026 is one of just six Volantes to have ever been returned to Works for this extremely rare upgrade.

Aston Martin built 37 examples of the V8 Volante Zagatos which includes 12 original left-hand-drive cars. This example is one of our equipped with an automatic gearbox.

by Dan Vaughan

Fastback

An Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante with the X-Pack option.

by Dan Vaughan

The Aston Martin V8 was produced from 1969 through 1990 and was, of course, powered by an eight-cylinder engine. For many years eager customers had been pleading with Aston Martin to produce an eight-cylinder car. Expected to be completed by 1967, the engine took a few more years of development before being ready. In the meantime, Aston Martin introduced the DBS which borrowed its Vantage six-cylinder engine from the DB6.

In the 1987 film 'The Living Daylights', famous British Secret Agent James Bond could be seen on the big screen driving around in his V8 Vantage Volante. A few years earlier Roger Moore had driven a DBS V8 in the movie 'The Persuaders.' His car was built to resemble the V8 version but actually powered by a six-cylinder engine.

In 1969 the eight-cylinder engine was ready and successfully adapted to the DBS. The engine had been designed by Aston Martin's head engineer, Tadek Marek. The engine had made an appearance in the Lola T70 LeMans racer but was more of a learning and testing experience than a true success. The DBS was now available with either the six- or eight-cylinder engine, with the eight-cylinder version being the more popular. Over the years, the 5.3 liter V8 was fitted with either Bosch fuel injection or carburetors, double overhead camshafts, and was capable of producing around 300-315 horsepower. Zero-to-sixty took a mere 5.9 seconds with top speed being achieved at 160 mph.

The square grille, four headlights, and large front air dam were the traditional Aston Martin persona. Gone were the wire wheels.

By 1972 the DBS V8 became the Aston Martin V8; since the six-cylinder DBS was no longer offered. This left the V8 and the Vantage as Aston Martins's entire model line.

In 1972 Aston Martin offered the Series II which incorporated minor visual and mechanical changes. The front featured a mesh grille with twin quart headlights while under the hood the engine was given a little extra tuning. Production of the Series II continued until 1973 with just over 285 examples being produced. After the Series II came the Series III which incorporated four twin-choke Weber carburetors and a larger hood scoop. The 310 horsepower engine took the car from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.7 seconds, when equipped with the manual transmission. Soon strict emissions and government regulations sent the performance tumbling. A new exhaust and camshaft helped boost power a little but was still down by about ten horsepower.

The Series III continued production from 1973 through 1978 except for 1975 when production was temporarily halted. In total, over 965 examples were produced. Production ceased in 1975 due to financial difficulties. A take-over from a consortium in 1975 meant the company could continue producing vehicles. It was decided that instead of creating new models which often consume large amounts of capital, the company would focus its attention and abilities on fine-tuning the products already in production.

At the Birmingham International Motor Show in 1978, Aston Martin introduced the Series IV, also known as the 'Oscar India.' The hood scoop was replaced with a bulge, and a spoiler could now be found on the rear. On the interior could be found wood trim, not seen on an Aston Martin since the DB2/4 of the 1950's. Most were equipped with Chrysler's Torqueflite 3-speed automatic gearbox. Production continued from 1978 through 1985, with a total of 291 examples being produced.

1978 also saw the introduction of the V8 Volante which was a convertible. Though the United States had strict rules concerning safety and convertibles, many of the 650 Volantes produced during the 12-year period made their way State-side.

In 1985 a partnership was formed with the famous Italian coachbuilder Zagato to build a limited-edition Zagato-bodied version of the V8 Vantage. Sketches were shown to the public at the 1985 Geneva Motorshow with the production version making an appearance a year later. These cars were lighter and smaller with an estimated top speed of around 300 km/h. Though production was limited to only 50 examples, demand was much higher. Even before the cars were produced, the money had already been collected from buyers and the original sticker price had even seen escalation due to the popularity.

Planning always takes a back seat to reality. The car was estimated to have a top speed of 300 km/h but when testing began, the engine proved inadequate to meet the goal. The fuel injection system was replaced with Weber carburetors but this caused a new problem. The hood needed to be enlarged to house the cabs resulting in a design that was not aesthetically pleasing to many customers.

The 'double bubble' roof was Zagato's signature trademark. The aerodynamic body was shorter than its counterpart and weighed 10% less. Handling was considerably better as was the overall performance.

Since the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato was produced in limited numbers many investors purchased the vehicles in hopes of turning a profit. Though the designs are very elegant, the true strength of the car was in its performance; sadly many have not been given the opportunity to prove their potential to their owners.

At the 1986 New York Auto Show, Aston Martin introduced their fuel-injected Series V. Since there were no bulky carburetors, there was no need for the bulge. Production continued until 1989 with around 61 examples being produced.

In 1998 a limited edition version of the Vantage was introduced and dubbed the V600. Outfitted with the 5.3 liter V8 and fitted with dual superchargers, the car was capable of producing an astonishing 600 horsepower. Some of the design cues were taken from the DBR1 LeMans racer that won the 1959 LeMans race. Production was low due to problems with emission regulations. Instead, Aston Martin introduced the V12 Vanquish in 2001.

During the production of the Aston Martin V8, it was hailed by many as Britain's 'super car'. It's eight-cylinder engine was a bold move for the small, low-production quantity Aston Martin firm. In the end, it was the right decision and one that carried the company for many years. Its performance was legendary and the design was elegant.

by Dan Vaughan