The DBS V8 Ushered In A New Era Of Aston Martin

Looking back, Aston Martins of the 1960s like the DB5 and DB6 were quite tough acts to follow, given their impeccable styling, impressive GT performance, and esteemed place in popular culture. These cars were, and still very much, are pillars of automotive design, so when it came time to roll out their successors, the British marque knew it had to be done tastefully.

As it moved into the ’70s, the unmistakable Aston Martin look was traded for an aesthetic largely influenced by the Pony cars of the west, though key elements of the company’s DNA were maintained across the lineup. All of this made for a new breed of Aston that was fit for modern tastes with its clean lines, while still taking cues from their highly regarded previous offerings.

The William Towns styled, front engine DBS V8 demonstrates this notion well, through an iconic grille shape, hood scoop, and side vents that we’ve come to love so much in its predecessor. As Aston’s company’s flagship model for roughly four years, the DBS V8 shared the same body of the standard six-cylinder DBS, though as the name would suggest, it was definitely more capable in the performance department.

Direct from the factory, the 5.3-litre, 5340-cc, Tadek Marek-developed V8 engine was capable of reaching speeds of up to 160 mph, making the striking DBS V8 the world’s fastest four seater at the time, and a sharp looking one at that. It’s also worth noting that thanks to the excellent design of this trusty, fuel-injected V8, Aston Martin would continue to use the same base engine in subsequent models, up until the year 2000 in the Virage.

All in all, the DBS V8 truly represents a pivotal period of engineering and styling in Aston Martin’s history that mustn’t be overlooked, no matter how absolutely gorgeous the DB5s and DB6s of the world may be.

^{Image sources: autoguru-katalog.at, boldride.com}