Aston Martin

The DBS was conceived in the late 1960s as the successor to the DB6. Aston Martin aimed to move toward a V8 engine, following in the footsteps of rivals such as Ferrari and Maserati. Touring of Milan was initially commissioned to design the car, but after the company went out of business, William Towns was brought in to create a new, more modern body style. Although the DBS was engineered with the size and engine bay to accommodate a V8, the Tadek Marek-designed V8 powerplant was not ready for production when the car was launched in 1967. To avoid delays, Aston Martin released the DBS with the proven 3,995 cc inline-six carried over from the DB6, allowing the new design to reach the market while the V8 was finalized. The V8 finally arrived in 1969, when Aston Martin introduced the DBS V8. Visually very similar to the six-cylinder model, it offered significantly greater performance thanks to its 5,340 cc engine.

In 1972, the DBS V8 was renamed simply the Aston Martin V8, marking the end of the six-cylinder DBS. The early “Series 2” cars introduced the familiar twin-headlamp, mesh-grille look that defined the model until 1989. The Series 3 arrived in 1973 with Weber carburetors and a taller bonnet scoop, remaining in production until 1978. Later that year, the “Oscar India” Series 4 update brought a smoother bonnet, integrated rear spoiler, and wood-trimmed interior, while the Volante convertible debuted and soon became the more popular choice.