One of Aston Martin’s most iconic models will carry on … some 53 years after the last one was built.
Aston Martin Works has announced plans to make 25 more DB4 G.T.s at the same place where the originals were made — Newport Pagnell (itself dormant for the past 10 years). And in the spirit of the originals, the continuation models (built to original lightweight specifications) will be track-only cars.
Launched in 1959, the G.T. was a shorter, sleeker, lighter racing version of the DB4, and powered by an uptuned version of the legendary 3.7-litre straight-6. The original was a winner right out of the box, winning at Silverstone in the hands of Stirling Moss. Only 75 were made by the time production came to an end in 1963. Only 8 of them were lightweight models, many of which have survived and today carry a value exceeding £3 million (about $5 million Canadian).
“Built in our recently refurbished, state-of-the-art facilities in Newport Pagnell, the DB4 G.T. Continuation is hand built in the same location as its illustrious forebears, and marks the return of production to the historic home of Aston Martin for the first time since the last Vanquish S was completed in 2007,” said Paul Spires, Commercial Director, Aston Martin Works. “Combining the authenticity of a hand-crafted David Brown era car with sympathetic application of modern engineering advancements and performance enhancements, the DB4 G.T. Continuation is a fusion of classic design and contemporary methods.”
The new cars will carry on the VIN series, but will benefit from all the advances in engine performance, handling, braking and, of course, safety. Aston says care will be taken to retain the original’s feel and character.
The 2-seater’s engine is a version of the original, with two plugs per cylinder, sending 340 hp to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual and limited slip differential. Weight is reduced through the use of thin-gauge aluminum body panels stretched over a tubular frame. The panels will be built using the latest digital technology, and hand-finished in the classic Aston Martin tradition. The cars come with an arrive-and-drive track-driving course, where expert racing instructors will offer new owners the expertise of driving vintage vehicles that required skill and finesse from the driver.
“Aston Martin has a rich and vibrant heritage, as you’d expect from a company that has been building some of the world’s finest sports cars for 103-years. Of those the DB4 G.T. stands proud as one of the most coveted of all,” concluded Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin President and CEO. “It’s a mark of Aston Martin’s breadth of abilities that in the same year we launched the DB11 - our most advanced ‘DB’ production car ever - we can also embark on an adventure such as the DB4 G.T. Continuation — a project that taps into the unique passion and skills that exist within Aston Martin.”
Deliveries are expected to start in the third quarter of 2017.