1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato

GT Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: 0186R

Only one of 19 Zagato bodied examples of the classic AM DB4 GT race car that was designed to compete against the Ferrari 250 SWB Berlinetta Coupes in international competition. It was delivered new to an Australian racer who competed in regional races for many years. Today it is considered to be one of the most desirable of all collectable cars for its rarity, beauty, and its speed.

A DB4 GT chassis was sent to Zagato, and Ercole Spada designed one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Zagato, based in Turin, was well-known for constructing lightweight aluminum bodies for Alfa Romeo and others, including various LeMans winners. Aston Martin sent the DB4 to Zagato for weight reduction to help it compete with Ferrari's 250 GT on the track. It emerged 100 lbs lighter and clothed in a sleek, new body. The car had a 3.7-liter, DOHC inline six under the hood, producing more than 300 bhp. Approximately 24 Zagatos were built with perhaps 75 'conventional' DB4GTs.

GT Coupe by Zagato

The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was introduced in 1960 at the London Motor Show. The DB4 was the first to be built at the company's Newport Pagnell works in Buckinghamshire, England.

This automobile is basically a DB4GT improved by the Zagato factory in Italy, by Ercole Spada. The Zagato's engine, designed by Tadek Marek, is a dual overhead cam straight-six producing 314 bhp and zero-to-sixty mph acceleration in just 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 153 mph. Initially the plan was to produce 25 cars, but limited demand cause production to cease at 20 units in 1963. Another notable feature of the automobile is four-wheel disc brakes.

The DB4 GT Zagato was raced in the 1962 LeMans 24 Hours race by such famous names as Roy Salvadori and Jim Clark.

This is another variation on a DB4 GT Zagato. Perhaps most notably, it is the only Zagato not to have faired-in headlights. As a whole, the styling of this car echoes the early series DB4, incorporating not only the DB4 headlight treatment but also the bonnet scoop found on the DB4 as well as a few other Zagatos. The car is in completely original condition.

GT Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: IVEV

This DB4 GT Zagato (IVEV) is one of a pair that were ordered by the Essex Racing Stable. They were further lightened for racing and entered at Lemans in 1961. This car went on to success at Goodwood, driven by Roy Salvadori, and at other race meetings before retiring from racing. This car is one of the most photographed and well known of the Zagatos, having been featured in many books and articles.

GT Coupe by Zagato
Chassis number: 187L

The British sports car specialist Aston Martin was founded in 1914. Five years later, one of Italy's finest coachbuilders, Carrozzeria Zagato, was formed. John Wyer, the owner of Aston Martin, met Gianni Zagato at the London Earl's Court motor show in 1959. The two formed a partnership in which Carrozzeria Zagato would construct custom bodies for a small series of competition DB4GTs. Early the next year, the first Aston lightweight chassis arrived in Italy. Zagato, along with twenty-three year-old designer Ercole Spada designed the DB4GT and drew inspiration from Ferrari's successful 250 GT short-wheelbase Berlinetta (SWB). Many people, however, argue that the Zagato/Spada design is more aggressive, bolder, and more contemporary than the Ferrari.

Under license from Carrozzeria Touring, these Zagato bodies used the Superleggera (super-light) construction technique, meaning a thin skin of aluminum stretched over a network of small-diameter steel tubing.

This particular example was the Turin show car in 1961. It has several unique features such as bumpers, a chrome strip along the side, chrome instead of polished aluminum around the windows and headlights, and chrome wheels. It is believed to be one of only two examples that had hood scoops. of the nineteen examples built, just six were left-hand drive.

The car remained in Italy until 1968. It was shipped stateside after it was purchased by Dr. Nicolas Begovish of Fullerton, Ca. It was purchased by the current owner in 2001 and a restoration was commissioned to Steel Wings in Philadelphia.

Most Zagatos were painted red at some stage in their life, including this one, but it was originally blue with off-white leather. It appears here in traditional Aston Martin green, or California Sage, as it is sometimes known.

Since then, the car has been very busy. It has been displayed at the Aston national Meet, it also was on their magazine cover. It has appeared at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, on a Road and track calendar, at Pebble Beach, and in museums in Atlanta and Portland. It has run the Copper State 1000 and been featured in Aston Journal of Heritage Trust.

The popularity of the original DB4 GT Zagato has resulted in two subsequent waves of cars, based on the DB4's, being rendered into Zagatos in a cooperative effort between Aston Martin Zagato.

The DB4Z is called 'one of the most beautiful Aston Martins ever created' by company CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez, and is widely recognized as the greatest street Aston, the benchmark against which the current Vanquish would be judged.

According to Elio Zagato, Koelliker, a friend who was Aston's dealer in Milan, commissioned the DB4 Zagato. 'The idea was a nice street car that could go racing, though that was not its original purpose,' Zagato says. 'It developed into that. When Aston saw the car, they liked it and decided to make it a factory model.'

Thus began one of the most memorable chapters in Aston history. The DB4 Zagato appeared in 1960, its beautiful but aggressive aerodynamic body setting it apart from standard Astons, clearly showing its performance pretenses. The interior was comfortable yet stark, a reflection of the weight saving measures done throughout the car.

The DB4 Zagato was produced for two years, with 19 made. The car's 314 horsepower engine was more powerful than the standard DB4. Coupled with its lighter weight and more aerodynamic body, it easily cleared 150 mph. A number were campaigned frequently, though they could never consistently unseat their made-for-racing Ferrari 250 GTO competition

by Zagato

by Aston Martin

The DB name came from the name David Brown (later Sir David Brown), an individual who had purchased the Aston Martin Company.

The DB4 series was built from 1958 through 1963. A total of 1040 vehicles and five series were produced during this time frame. The coachwork was performed by Touring of Milan, Italy. The body panels were hand made of aluminum mounted on a steel tube frame and featuring the Superleggera method of construction. Superleggera means super light.

Initially, the DB4 series used disc brakes made by Dunlop but later switched to the Girling made disc brakes. Each of the five series featured improvements, design modifications, and technological enhancements. All of the DB4s received their power from a Tadek Mereck designed, 3670 cc, six-cylinder, all aluminum engine. The 220-240 horsepower engine could propel the car to a top speed of around 140 mph and the go from zero to sixty in just 8.5 seconds. David Brown, the owner of Aston Martin, produced the overdrive transmission.

The standard DB4 body style was the Saloon version; however, the Vantage series could be ordered and featured higher horsepower ratings.

In 1959, Aston Martin introduced the DB4 GT series. This series featured a shorter wheelbase and higher output than the standard DB4 Saloon. Due to the shorter wheelbase there were no rear seats. The engine had three twin-choke Weber Carburetors and twin distributors increasing the output of the standard engine to 302 bhp. This extra horsepower increased the top speed to around 153 mph and the zero-to-sixty time of around six seconds.

Other distinguishable features of the GT series were the exposed, racing style, fuel filer caps located on the rear wings. Perspex headlamp covers adorned the front of the vehicles.

The GT series was produced from 1959 through 1963. During this time period, 75 models were produced. The Italian coachbuilder Zagato was tasked at producing the bodies of 19 of these vehicles.

In 1960 the Zagato bodied cars were introduced at the London Motor Show. These hand-built vehicles were built to outperform Ferrari's. The short wheelbase, light weight construction, 314 horsepower engine, and a top speed of 160 mph made them very competitive.

The DB4 Drophead Coupe was produced from 1961 through 1963. During this time frame, 70 examples were created. They were convertibles built on the DB4 Saloon body style using the same aluminum, Superleggera body construction. The standard six-cylinder 3670 cc engine was now producing 260 horsepower. Thirty-two of the convertibles received the Vantage specifications which increased the output of the engine. The overdrive transmission was also available as an option.

In the 1960's, the DB4 Drophead Coupe was used in the movie 'The Italian Job.'

During the 1980's, an Aston Martin specialist named Richard Williams produced the remaining DB4's using the assistance of the Aston Martin factory and unused chassis.

by Dan Vaughan

Aston Martin unveiled their DB4 at the 1958 Paris Salon. This was a big achievement for the small British manufacturer as it was a totally new car on a completely new steel platform chassis and disc brakes on all four corners. It was powered by an alloy twin-cam 3.7-liter straight-six engine and bodied by Touring of Milan in an elegant fastback aluminum body. This combination was performance-oriented with all the necessary criteria such as the potent engine, lightweight body, excellent stopping power provided by the disc brakes, and finished in an attractive and elegant fastback configuration. It was state-of-the-art at the time, a modern masterpiece of British engineering and Italian styling.

Harold Beech was involved with the engineering of the chassis, including the fitting of an independent front suspension and a live rear axle located by trailing arms and a Watt's linkage. The coachwork was constructed by Aston Martin under license from Touring

At the September 1959 London Motor Show, Aston Martin introduced their competition variant dubbed the DB4 GT. It was based on the race-winning prototype SP199/1. In the very capable hands of Sterling Moss, the GT prototype had won its first outing in May 1959 at Silverstone.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT sat on a shortened wheelbase, made lighter, and given a more powerful engine. The engine was given a higher compression ratio, twin-plug cylinder heads, and triple dual-throat Weber 45 DCOE carburetors. Weight was reduced by 91 kg overall, partly by reducing the wheelbase by around 5 inches. The Standard DB4 produced 240 horsepower while the DB4GT produced 302 BHP making it the most powerful British car of its era. Top speed was achieved at just over 150 mph and zero-to-sixty took a mere 6.1 seconds.

The DB4 and DB4GT were visually distinguishable by the faired in headlamps, a feature that was later made standard on the DB5. The DB4 GT had quick-release 'Monza' fuel fillers on each of the rear wings, bumper overrider deletes, and frameless roll-down windows within the doors. The interior of the DB4 GT was rather luxurious with Connolly hides and Wilton wool carpeting. An oil temperature gauge was added to the array of instrumentation, along with an 8000 RPM tachometer.

The Ferrari SWB 250 Berlinetta was a very dominant and competitive car in FIA racing, but the DB4 GTs were able to mount a strong challenge in 1959 by both the Works team and Jon Ogier's Essex Racing stable. Individuals usually found behind the wheel included Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Roy Salvadori, and Innes Ireland.

Production of the Aston Martin DB4 GT lasted from 1959 through 1963 with a total of 75 examples produced, plus an additional 19 created by Zagato in various configurations. 45 of the 75 were right-hand drive with the other 30 having left-hand drive. Six of the 75 are known to have full Factory lightweight construction details. These six are further divided into two additional categories. The first group consisting of four examples were originally ordered as 'Build Sheet GTs' meaning they were ordered with this lightweight specification. Two were Right Hand Drive and the other two were Left Hand Drive. The other lightweight group is referred to as 'BESPOKE' or Service Department created GTs. Meaning they were modified to the lightweight specification after the factory had performed the original build.

Thus, most of the DB4 GTs created were suitable for competition or Grand Touring, for road or track.

by Dan Vaughan

The Aston Martin DB4 was first introduced to the public at the 1958 Paris Salon and powered by a 3.7-liter straight eight and clothed in an aluminum body. Touring of Milan was tasked with creating the design. The Aston Martin DB4 GT was introduced a year later at the London Motor Show and was based on the race winning prototype SP199/1. 1959 was a great year for Aston martin as they had won the World Sportscar Championship title. The GT prototype inaugural race was in May of 1959 at Silverstone where it finished in first place at the hands of Stirling Moss.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT was lighter, shorter, and more powerful than the base DB4. In an effort to reduce the weight of the vehicle the bodywork was made thinner using 18 gauge alloy. The wheelbase was reduced by 13cm which made the rear seats obsolete. In total, 200 pounds had been shed. Under the graceful hood was the six-cylinder engine modified with twin plug cylinder heads and triple dual-throat Weber 45 DCOE carburetors. Horsepower was raised to over 300, bettering the standard DB4 engine by 60 horsepower, and making it the most powerful British sports car of its era.

Most of the DB4 GT's had Plexiglas rear screen and quarter windows. Disc brakes could be found on all four corners, as could the alloy Boranni wire wheels. The roll-down windows were frameless within the doors. A high-capacity fuel tank could be found in the rear. Quick-release 'Monza' fuel fillers were placed atop of the rear wings. All of this equated to a car that had a top speed over 150 mph and could race from zero-to-sixty in just over 6 seconds. Visually, in comparison to the DB4, the GT has cowled headlights and a very prominent hood scoop.

The interior of the cars were race inspired but still filled with luxurious amenities.

The DB4 GT was produced from 1959 through 1963 with only 75 examples being produced plus another 19 examples bodied by Zagato. 45 were right-hand drive and 30 were left hand drive. The Zagato bodied cars were necessary to keep pace with Ferrari's 250 GT machines. Zagato was legendary in the world or automotive weight reduction and their skills were in high demand. Ercole Spada of Zagato was given the task of performing the necessary modifications. Even after Zagato worked his magic, the Ferrari's proved to competitive for the DB4 GT's. Though the DB4 GT's suffered from oversteer and and low rigidity, its Achilles' heal was the fact that it was born from a road going car.

The final DB4 GT constructed was sent to Bertone who fitted it with a body and had it sent to the 1961 Geneva and Turin Motorshows. It was styled by Giorgietto Giugiaro who was in the infancy of his career. This, the 76th and final DB4 GT produced, was given an attractive steel body.

by Dan Vaughan