1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mark 2

Lot details
Registration No: RJH 3H
Chassis No: DB6MK2-4262-R
Mot Expiry: None

Launched at the 1965 London Motorshow, the DB6 was the final iteration of a series that had begun with the DB4 seven years before. That landmark model had featured a new platform chassis conceived by Harold Beech, topped by a cage of small diameter tubes clothed in hand-made alloy body panels. The process, known as superleggera (lightweight), was evolved by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan and employed under licence by Aston Martin at its Newport Pagnell plant.

The DB4 was powered by an all-aluminium straight-six engine of 3670cc, conceived in-house by the company's Polish designer Tadek Marek. Braking was by servo-assisted discs all round. The front suspension was independent by wishbones and coil springs, while the rear featured a coil sprung live axle. Steering was by rack and pinion. The DB4 was progressively developed through five 'Series'.

More evolution than revolution, the ensuing DB5 was still a significant step forward when it took to the stage in 1963. Courtesy of a new 3995cc 282bhp triple carburettor version of Marek's masterpiece, it was now capable of almost 150mph and could reach 60mph in a whisker over seven seconds. Initially there was the option of a five-speed ZF gearbox, but this soon became the standard fit. The car's general specification had also improved and now included: an alternator in place of the dynamo, reclining seats, pile carpets, electric windows, tinted glass and four silencers for the exhaust.

So to the DB6. Having rejected Carrozzeria Touring's proposals for a DB5 replacement, Aston Martin set about developing the newcomer in-house. The major aims were to create a car with better handling and more interior space. Wind tunnel tests showed the need for aerodynamic down-force to counteract a tendency to lose traction at high speed and a Kamm-type tail (as developed for the company's 'Project' race cars) was duly added. The roofline was raised by two inches and the overall length increased by the same amount, giving rise to more headroom, legroom and boot space. As the DB6's bigger bodyshell was unsuitable for the superleggera construction of the DB4 and DB5, the more conventional body-on-frame technique was employed and the superleggera badges removed from the bonnet. Other features that distinguished a DB6 from its predecessor include: opening front quarter lights, oil-cooler air scoop, quarter bumpers front and rear, a more steeply raked windscreen, chrome wire wheels as standard, optional power steering and air conditioning, and automatic transmission as a no-cost option. The engines were carried over from the DB5, the triple-SU standard unit offering around 282bhp and the triple-Weber one of the Vantage giving nearer 325bhp.

A Mark 2 version of the DB6 was unveiled in August 1969 and can be identified by its lightly flared wheel arches housing the hubs and wider wheel/tyre package of the DBS. The seats were among other items to be shared with the then-new DBS. A fresh option was that of AE Brico electronic fuel injection. However, the system lacked proper development and many of the engines concerned were later converted by the Aston Martin Service Department to run on Weber carburettors. Some 1,750 DB6s were manufactured by the time the model was fully superseded by the DBS in February 1971, making it the most successful member of the DB4/DB5/DB6 lineage. However, DB6 Mark 2 saloon production is thought to have accounted for just 239 cars making the model considerably rarer than its DB5 or DB6 Mark 1 siblings.

The right-hand drive DB6 saloon offered is a Mark 2 example first registered in June 1970. It is powered by the standard 282bhp carburettor-fed engine mated to the optional automatic transmission. Latterly part of a private Aston Martin and Lagonda collection, 'RJH 3H' is finished in Dubonnet Rosso and trimmed in Beige leather. The vendor regards the paintwork, engine and transmission as "good" and the interior trim as "very good for its age", the seats having been retrimmed circa 1991. The Aston comes reportedly complete with various maintenance invoices dating back to 1992 and MOTs from 1994 to 2009.