ASTON MARTIN DB6

This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at Silverstone Festival 2025 - Collectors' Cars on Saturday the 23rd of August, The Wing, Silverstone Circuit, NN12 8TN.

The culmination of Aston Martin’s long-running line of ‘DB’ six-cylinder sports saloons, and thus considered by many to be the last ‘real’ Aston, the DB6 was introduced in 1965, updating the DB5. Aware that increased headroom and legroom was required to extend the car’s appeal to a wider market, Aston Martin lengthened the wheelbase by 4” and undertook an extensive re-style, incorporating a more-raked windscreen, raised roofline and reshaped rear quarter windows. Although still recognisably related to the original Touring-styled DB4 of 1958, the DB6 abandoned the Superleggera body structure of its predecessors in favour of a conventional steel fabrication. Opening front quarter lights made a reappearance, but the major change was at the rear where a Kamm-style tail with spoiler improved the aerodynamics, greatly enhancing stability at high speeds. The Tadek Marek-designed six-cylinder engine had been enlarged to 3,995cc for the preceding DB5 and remained unchanged. Power output on triple SU carburettors was 282bhp, rising to 325bhp in Vantage specification. Borg-Warner automatic transmission was offered alongside the standard ZF five-speed gearbox, and for the first time there was optional power-assisted steering.

According to the accompanying BMI Heritage Certificate, DB6/2475/R was built in right-hand drive to Vantage specification, finished in Silver Birch over a black leather interior, despatched to WH Benjam Ltd in Plymouth, and onwards to its first lucky owner. In 1990, it was purchased by the owner prior to our vendor from Pugsley & Lewis and, from the extensive history file, it would appear that the Aston was fastidiously maintained by marque specialists Pugsley & Lewis and A J Barnard Engineering, corroborated by invoices totalling over £23,000, some £9,700 being spent in 2006 alone. The car was fully restored between 2008 and 2010 by Aston Workshop and Pugsley & Lewis with invoices on file and there is a DVD recording the whole process. More recently, the ZF gearbox was fully overhauled and there is correspondence from the Aston Martin factory thanking the owner for allowing his DB6 to be used for assessing a new gear set design for the ZF ’box.

EJX 342D was purchased by our vendor from the Aston Workshop in October 2017 with an indicated mileage of 68,733 from new with less than 5,000 of these added since 1991. Recent maintenance includes a full service by Hilton and Moores in July 2023 (£10,000) including renewing rear seals, new hubs, electric window refurb, and new tyres, and later attention in February 2025 by Farringtons of Knutsford included a full service and the wheel arches and under body were ice blasted and then retreated. The car is supplied with its V5C, the aforementioned history file, a quantity of expired MOTs dating back to 1991, and the current MOT valid until 2nd April 2026.

Whilst this attractive, matching numbers Aston would make an impressive addition to any collection and would surely be welcome at prestigious classic car events anywhere, we can't help feeling that its best years are still ahead. Make no mistake, these are now rare cars. The factory only produced 268 Mk1 DB6 Saloons to a Vantage specification and very few of these were fitted with the manual 5-speed gearbox - the ultimate incarnation! This is a great opportunity to own a classic Aston which, whilst possibly a wise investment, is totally usable and a delight to drive.

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