1986 Aston Martin V8

Six-Cylinder Power

David Brown acquired Aston Martin and Lagonda in 1947, incorporating them as Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. Lagonda was acquired for its dual overhead camshaft, straight six cylinder engine, which was more powerful than Aston Martin's pushrod 2.0-liter straight four-cylinder unit. The Lagonda engine was designed under the supervision of W.O. Bentley and was primarily the work of William (Willie) Watson, an engineer whose career included work with the pre-war Invicta company.

Beginning with the DB4 of 1958, Aston Martin introduced a new platform chassis and a new double overhead camshaft straight-6 engine. The powerplant was designed by engineer Tadek Marek and was a development of the earlier Lagonda straight-6. The engine was used to power the DB5, DB6, and DBS.

The Aston Martin DBS

The Aston Martin DBS was a grand touring automobile introduced in 1967 and intended as a replacement for the DB6, although both were produced concurrently for three years. The two-door coupe was powered by the same four-cylinder engine powering the DB6, also a grand touring 2-door coupe. At the time, these were Aston Martin's only products, and since they both had the same body style configuration (2-door coupe / albeit, the styling was very different), and both were powered by the same engine, their purpose was redundant.

The Aston Martin DBS and the DB6

The DBS was intended as a replacement for the DB6. It was given a modern design that took styling in a new direction, away from the appearance of the DB4 through DB6. It had a fastback rear end, a squared-off front grille, a bonnet scoop, stainless steel brightwork, side air vents, and its knock-off wire wheels were wrapped with Pirelli Cinturato Radial tires.

The DBS had a larger footprint than the DB6, resulting in a more spacious interior with four full-sized seats. Although more accommodating to passengers, the real purpose for the larger size was to accommodate the planned V-8 engine. The DB6 was incapable of housing the engine, lacking space in its engine bay.

The Aston Martin DBS was ready for production in 1967, but its V8 engine was several years from being ready. So the DBS was given the 4.0-liter straight-six unit from the DB6, and both models were built, offering both traditional and modern products.

The Aston Martin DBS / DBS V8 / V8

The Aston Martin V8 was manufactured from 1969 to 1989, with each example being handbuilt and each car requiring 1,200 man-hours. Known initially as the DBS and powered by the straight-6, Tadek Marek's V8 engine was ready two years later, and the company released the DBS V8. After the demise of the straight-six Vantage in 1973, the DBS V8 was simply called the Aston Martin V8. It would remain in production until 1989 when it was replaced by the Virage.

The Aston Martin DBS V8 had a similar body design as the six-cylinder DBS, with four headlights and a squared-off grille. The V8 models had a larger front air dam, redesigned tail lights, and were devoid of wire wheels.

The 5.3-liter V8 engine added roughly 250 pounds (lbs), although the manufacturer stated it weighed only 30 pounds more than the outgoing six-cylinder unit. Other items that added additional weight included the ventilated disc brakes, fatter tires, a new ZF gearbox, air conditioning, and additional bodywork. Although the factory did not officially release the horsepower, estimates have it at around 315 bhp, which gave the DBS V8 a zero-to-sixty mph sprint in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of nearly 160 horsepower.

In October 1978, Aston Martin introduced the Series 4 'Oscar India' at the Birmingham International Motor Show. Most were fitted with a Chrysler 'TorqueFlite' three-speed automatic transmission. The interiors featured wood trim which was the first time it was used in the production of Aston Martins since the DB2/4 of the 1950s. The hood scoop was replaced with a closed 'power bulge', and a spoiler was integrated into the tail. Between 1978 and 1985, a total of 352 examples of the 'Oscar India' were built.

In June 1978, Aston Martin introduced the convertible 'Volante.'

At the 1986 New York International Auto Show, a fuel-injection system was fitted to the engine. The Weber/Marelli system had a compact design which meant there was no longer a need for the bonnet bulge. A total of 405 examples of the fuel-injected 'Five Series' cars were built before production came to a close in 1989.

The world previewed the Newport Pagnell's entry into the specialty supercar market at the 1986 Geneva Motor Show. Dubbed the Aston Martin Vantage Zagato, they wore lightweight aluminum coachwork that included a hood bulge for the re-tuned Vantage V580 engine, offering 430 horsepower. A total of 52 coupes were built, though at least one of those was a re-numbered show car (the show car was originally chassis number 11, which was changed to 13 post-show). Performance was enhanced even further by shortening the wheelbase and removing the rear seats, thus creating Aston Martin's first production two-seater since the DB4GT. The lightweight design and 5.3-liter V8 helped give the Vantage Zagato a top speed of 186 mph.

The 1986 Aston Martin V8

The 1986 Aston Martin V8 was offered with Fastback Coupe and Convertible (Volante) body styles, along with the optional Vantage specification.

Mechanical Specification

The 1986 Aston Martin V8 rested on a 102.8-inch wheelbase, had an overall length of 183.8 inches, stood 52.5 inches tall, and was 72 inches wide. The standard cast-alloy wheels wore GR70x15 or 235/70VR15 tires, with the Vantage specification using 255/60VR15.

The 90-degree, dual overhead camshaft eight-cylinder engine had a light alloy block and head, five main bearings, a 325.9 cubic-inch displacement (5,340cc), and produced approximately 263 horsepower at 5,000 RPM in U.S. specification. The European version was rated at around 290 horsepower at 5,500 RPM. Among the differences between these two specifications were the compression ratio and the use of four Weber dual-choke carburetors or Bosch fuel injection. Beginning with the Series 5, introduced in January 1986, the fuel injection system was a Weber unit rather than the earlier Bosch. The standard output was now quoted as 305 bhp.

The optional Vantage specification boosted horsepower to just above 400 hp. It was challenging for Aston Martin to sell the Vantage specification in the United States due to the USA DOT/EPA. Compromising, Aston Martin replaced the standard specification with electronic fuel injection. Very few Vantage Saloons were exported to the U.S.

Transmission options included a ZF five-speed all-synchromesh manual or a three-speed Chrysler TorqueFlite automatic. Disc brakes provided the stopping power.

Production

Between 1969 and 1989, Aston Martin produced 4,021 examples of the DBS V8 / V8, including 402 examples of the DBS V8 before the 'DBS' portion of the name was dropped. Eighty-nine examples were Vantage Zagatos (including Vantage Volante Zagato).

by Dan Vaughan

Volante
Chassis number: SCFCV81C8GTL15449
Engine number: V/585/5449/LFM

Production difficulties meant the new V8 engine was not ready in time to be placed in the DBS when the car first appeared. Instead, the DBS was fitted with the DB6's 4.0-liter six. The DBS was larger and more luxuriously appointed the DB6, but meant it was also heavier and its performance suffered. When the V8 finally arrived in 1969, its Achilles heel was resolved and the 315 horsepower produced from the 5,340cc four-cam engine provided plenty of performance. The DBS V8 could race from 0-to-100 mph in under 14 seconds and had a top speed of 160 mph.

In 1972, Aston Martin was acquired by Company Developments. Production resumed with the Series 2, now known as the Aston Martin V8. It came with a restyled front end that drew inspiration from the earlier Astons.

The Aston Martin V8 was built in several variants including the Volante Convertible. It first appeared in June of 1978, and came equipped with a power-operated top. It had a top speed of 150 mph which earned it the title as the world's fastest convertible. Just like the Saloon or Coupe versions, the V8 Volante was given periodic upgrades and refinements during its lifespan. In 1983 it received BBS wheels, and the switching to Weber-Marelli fuel injection - and a flatter bonnet - in 1986.

From 1969 to 1988, a total of 2,919 examples of the DBS V8. V8 Volante and Vantage Volante chassis numbers ran from '15001' to '15849', and counted a total of 849 cars. The last V8 Volantes were built in 1989.

This particular V8 Volante is a left-hand drive example that was manufactured for the United States market. It was delivered with the optional Vantage front air dam, and its exterior was finished in 'Cannock Black – Masons'. It was sold new to Texas and spent the first score of years in the United States. It was later acquired by a German Aston Martin enthusiast in February of 2006. While in Germany, the bumpers were changed to the European specification. It remained with the German owner until 2013, until being sold at Bonhams' Aston Martin Sale in 2013. It was acquired by its current caretaker who brought the car back to his home in the United States. Since that time, the car has been driven less than 600 miles. It has been given a thorough mechanical and cosmetic service.

The car is powered by a 5,340cc dual overhead cam V8 engine fitted with Weber-Marelli fuel injection and produces 300 horsepower. There is a five-speed manual transmission, independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Volante
Chassis number: SCFCV81CXGTL15422
Engine number: V/580/5422/LFA

This late-Series One V8 Volante is finished in Mercedes-Benz Midnight Blue and upholstered with natural colored hides and dark blue carpets. The car was completed on September 5th of 1986 and dispatched for the United States a week later and was subsequently purchased by Santa Barbara, California, resident John Wallace through local dealer Gregg Motors.

The car was used sparingly over the next 14 years by just a few owners and, in early 2000, was treated to a full diagnosis and servicing.

The car left the factory with several desirable European specification components including the carburetor air-box linkage and stainless steel exhaust system. The car is powered by a 5340cc dual overhead cam V-8 engine fitted with four Twin-Choke Weber carburetors and offers 305 horsepower. There is an automatic gearbox and four-wheel disc brakes. Power amenities include the power windows and power locks.

Currently, the car shows less than 48,000 original miles. It is one of only 656 examples of the Series One model produced between 1978 and late 1985.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $150,000 - $180,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $140,250 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Vantage Zagato Coupe
Chassis number: SCFCV81ZXGTR20013
Engine number: V580/0013/X

This Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato was manufactured in early July of 1986 and left the factory finished in Gladiator Red paint over a tan interior and delivered to Brian Taylor. Rowan Atkinson acquired it in 1998, who immediately commissioned Aston Martin Works Service to rebuild it as a competition car. This allowed it compete in the Inter-Marque series, conforming to the mildly modified C2 class. In 2013 it received a fully rebuilt engine, completed at Newport Pagnell. The engine is essentially a 'Nimrod' engine as fitted to the works Le Mans cars of that name. The engine, designated '580XR', has a Weber fuel-injection system and ceramic-coated headers, helping to produce 482 horsepower.

Over 1,480 kilograms were removed from the car, enhancing the vehicles performance even further. The total rebuild cost roughly £220,000, and was completed in early 2000. Mr. Atkinson campaigned the Zagato at venues such as Snetterton, Donnington, and Silverstone, and won his class at Brands Hatch and Thruxton.

Oleg Stepanov of Gaydon, UK acquired the Zagato in May of 2008, and in 2016 it entered the care of its current owner, who immediately had it converted back to road specifications, which included air-conditioning, a different clutch, and the fitment of the original seats. This right-hand drive example is currently powered by a 5,340cc dual overhead cam V8 engine with Weber Alpha fuel injection backed by a five-speed manual gearbox. Disc brakes are located at all four corners.

by Dan Vaughan

Volante
Chassis number: SCFCV81C74TL15412
Engine number: V/580/5412/LFM

This Aston Martin V8 Volante was completed at the Newport Pagnell factory in July 1985 as a 1986 model-year car. It was one of the last V8 Volante's to leave the factory with a carbureted engine, and according to factory records, it was built for the U.S. market with left-hand drive configuration and finished in Jaguar Regent Grey over a Grey leather interior. It was registered in Greenwich, Connecticut, on September 30, 1985.

By 2004, the car had 27,733 miles on its odometer. In 2006, the Aston Martin entered the ownership of an individual from Mississippi, and two years later, it was sent to Italy. The current owner acquired the car in 2010. Currently, it has 34,378 miles on the odometer.

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