Head to Head – Aston Thriller

The allure of owning an old Aston Martin is difficult to ignore. Some might say impossible. As far as classic cars go they’re up there with the best of the best, not only in terms of styling but also in terms of getting from one place to another fairly rapidly; the name is and no doubt forever will be synonymous with elegant performance. The old tag line of ‘Power, Beauty, Soul’ may have changed now to ‘Intensity. Driven’ but that original sentiment certainly still rings true.

And then you have the inescapable association with a certain suave secret agent, too. The name Aston Martin will forever be irrevocably linked with Ian Fleming’s debonair British spy. From cutting about in a DB Mark III in the Goldfinger novel (Aston’s first appearance in the Bond universe) to the now famous DB5 piloted by Connery and an ice skating V8 in The Living Daylights, among others, 007, like us, loves his Astons.

The downside to all of these Secret Service shenanigans, however, is the bond tax. Such is the strength of the character’s influence and legacy that prices for such models have risen as a result, so today we’re pitting two non-Bond related but nevertheless outstanding Astons against one another in our latest head to head skirmish: the DB2/4 and the DB6. Have at it!

Many people are reticent to acknowledge any Aston Martin before the ’60s and that’s a crying shame because the company has been turning out fantastic motors since 1915, but it is fair to say that things really started to hot up in ’47 when Sir David Brown got involved. The first car to appear under Brown’s reign was the 2-Litre Sports, retrospectively known as the DB1 upon the release of its successor in 1950 – an all new grand tourer called, you guessed it, the DB2.

Replacing the four-pot engine of the DB1 with a double overhead cam, 2.6-litre straight-six lump from Lagonda (a company that Brown had recently purchased, partly for that very engine), the DB2 set a precedent for future Astons and put the company on a path to greatness.

Fast forward a couple of years to ’53 and the DB2/4 is born. Aside from a whole host of design updates this new model came with a 125bhp version of the 2.6-litre engine. An upgraded, 140bhp 2.9-litre version was also offered with a genuine 120mph top speed.

And that’s exactly the model we have available right here via our auctions platform: a 1954, matching numbers example that has been with the same owner for almost 40 years. Testament indeed to the car’s enduring appeal – we wouldn’t want to let it go either!

One of just 125 examples to feature the high-performance 2.9-litre version of W. O. Bentley’s straight-six engine this Aston Martin has been in present ownership since 1987 with more than £65K spent over that period, including a full engine rebuild. Treading the fine line perfectly between presentation and usability this DB2/4 is accompanied by a substantial, detailed and carefully curated history file and has recently been to see specialists Tomorrow’s Classics of Charfield, ensuring a clean bill of health.

Oft overlooked thanks in no small part to the more famous and desirable DB5 mentioned earlier, the Aston Martin DB6 is not only cheaper but it’s also a better car. Visually similar to its predecessor, despite the new Kamm tale rear end, the DB6 was larger, both in terms of wheelbase and height, providing much needed additional room and improved comfort in the cabin and it’s generally considered to be a more refined and polished model than the 5 overall.

Other developments included optional power steering and air conditioning which also makes the DB6 a much more usable proposition. The drive-ability was also improved with the aforementioned restyled rear deck providing more aerodynamic efficiency as well as improved grip and stability.

The Lagonda six of the DB5 was replaced with Tadek Marek’s 4.0-litre in-line six producing 280-ish bhp, with the later Vantage model, like the one we have here, chucking out 325bhp thanks in part to its triple carb setup.

Not only is this ’66 car the factory Vantage spec model but it has also been professionally rebuilt to 4.2-litres by GTC Engineering and treated to a bare metal restoration and interior re-trim to bring it to the stunning condition it presents in today. With a five speed ZF manual gearbox to boot this DB6 is arguably the ideal specification.

So forget old JB and tread your own path with one of these sublime Astons, both of which are currently available for your bidding pleasure on our renowned online auctions platform. License to kill aside, both examples are ready to roll and you can jump in either for a quick blast to the shops for a fresh bottle of Kina Lillet or embark on an epic summer road trip down to Monte Carlo for a spot of Baccarat. So DB2/4 or DB6? Which Aston Martin shakes your Martini? Head on over to the listings for the full run down and then chuck in your best bid!