The DBS has always been an intriguing and desirable curio in Aston Martin’s history. With the numerically-ascending DB line reaching something of a crescendo with the DB6, the original idea was to replace the model with something larger and more luxurious with more of a modern aesthetic. Initial plans were to fit a V8, although with the engine not ready in time, the DBS model of 1967 was powered by the outgoing DB6’s straight-six. And just to add an extra twist and turn to an already serpentine tale, the DBS didn’t replace the DB6 anyway, the two were sold concurrently for three years, the latter going out of production in 1970.

The 1968 model we have here has an interesting history behind it. You may have spotted that the V5 shows it being first being registered in the UK in 2018, with zero former keepers in this country. The reason for that is that this car was sourced from Australia; its owner is a devoted and fastidious collector of quality classic cars (you can see from the photographs that the DBS sits in the garage alongside an equally stunning DB6), and he wanted an Australian DBS to restore as the dry nature of the climate would ensure that he’d be starting from the best possible corrosion-free base.

What followed upon repatriating the Aston Martin to the UK was a full and thorough restoration to an outstanding standard, from 2014 through to completion in 2018 whereupon it was registered with the DVLA; with receipts for the work totalling in the region of £100,000, it’s fair to say that no stone has been left unturned. The engine was rebuilt by renowned marque specialist Rikki Cann to enlarged 4.2-litre spec with Cosworth pistons and triple Webers; the interior has been fully retrimmed with some tasteful tweaks, and the bodywork is sumptuous throughout.

A stellar machine which has been built to be used and enjoyed – just as much ‘show’ as ‘go’, and with a huge history file to back up everything that’s been done to the car in its life, both in the UK and in Australia. Having only covered a few thousand miles since its six-figure resto in 2018, this DBS is spectacular inside and out.

It’s all in the details with this car. It is evident even from the first glance that this is a quality interior with a sumptuous finish, and those with a keen eye for Astons will spot the tasteful black surrounds for the heater and wash/wipe controls and the retro-style Motorola radio that illuminates with the legend ‘Aston Martin’ when switched on. (This also has cunningly integrated iPhone connectivity.)

The seats are beautifully trimmed and nicely supportive, and the fronts tilt forward correctly to allow access to the luxurious rear bench. The dash is excellent with no cracks or marks, and all of the correct switchgear and gauges are in place and in proper working order. The elegant Moto-Lita steering wheel suits the car very well. The fresh new headlining is in good order throughout, and the carpets were replaced through the interior as well as in the boot – where we find a matching spare wire wheel in its correct cover along with the proper jack in its bag.

Aficionados will spot that this is an early DBS with the Mustang-style vents on the rear pillars, rather than the louvred panel between the fuel fillers of later cars. It’s also evident that a huge amount of work and time has been lavished upon ensuring that everything about the way this car presents itself is tip-top: the painstaking bare-metal respray endowed it with tasteful silver paint with a lovely finish throughout, and great care has been taken to finesse the panel gaps.

All of the correct chrome and trims pieces are in place, and all in great condition. The bumpers are new, the light lenses and window glass are all good, and it’s pleasing to note that the car wears the polished wire wheels so distinctive of these six-cylinder models – and, again, they’re all in excellent condition and gleam superbly. It really is a car with a huge amount of presence, as befits a collector with such exacting standards.
 
(Please note that the cherished registration number will not be included – the car will be returned to its 1968 registration number before sale.)

The drivetrain of this Aston Martin really is something special. In factory form there were two tiers of power available, with the 4.0-litre engine offered either in 280bhp form or, in Vantage spec with triple Webers, offering 325bhp. But this jewel-like engine is an echelon above: employing Cosworth pistons, the capacity has been enlarged to 4.2-litres, a tried-and-tested upgrade among DBS specialists to truly unleash the full potential of this exemplary platform with those Vantage spec Weber carbs.

Power today is brawny and vivid, but still with the reliability and dependability you’d expect of a high-end engine build. The car fires happily to life on the first turn of the key, it doesn’t grumble under the repeated cold/hot stop-start of a photoshoot, and the owner reports the driving experience to be smooth, entertaining, and always highly pleasing.

The transmission has been upgraded to a robust Tremec 5-speed manual, a gearbox with a reputation for being pretty much unburstable. Similarly rugged is the electrical system, as the car has been completely rewired throughout. The fuel tank and exhaust are new, as are the tyres; there’s a new fan on the upgraded cooling system, and the car has very recently been serviced and MOT’d. It's not just a DBS that’s delectable to look at, but it’s mechanically superb and ready to enjoy right away.

The magnificence of the DBS is that it sits in the perfect position in Aston Martin’s history to be a perennial conversation starter; any DB5 or DB6 is bound to elicit James Bond references in general everyday pub chat, and the same is also true of the Oscar India V8s… but the DBS? This is very much its own thing, at once classically styled and yet far more modern in appearance than its venerable age would suggest. And this particular one is a rare find – having had an incredible amount of care, time, money and patience poured into the restoration, it’s sublime to look at, delightful to sit inside, and magnificent to drive. The six-cylinder DBS is surely the connoisseur’s Aston Martin, and it would be very hard indeed to find another that’s as endearingly attractive as this one.

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