Otto Explains — Iconic Cars
10 Iconic Cars From Aston Martin
Short Answer
Otto’s ten iconic Aston Martins each stand for one specific achievement. In date order they are the Ulster (1934), the DB4 GT Zagato (1960), the DB5 (1963), the DB6 (1965), the V8 Vantage (1977), the V12 Vanquish (2001), the DBS (2007), the One-77 (2010), the Vulcan (2015) and the Valkyrie (2021). The cars that changed the company itself, such as the DB4, DB7 and DBX, have their own article.
How did Otto choose these ten cars?
This is a selection, not a ranking. Each car is here for one specific thing documented by Aston Martin’s own heritage pages, and together they run from the Ulster of 1934 to the Valkyrie of 2021. Cars that changed the direction of the company, such as the Coal Scuttle, the DB2, the DB4, the DB7, the DB9, the DBX and the Valhalla, are covered in Otto’s separate article on the cars that defined Aston Martin.
Why is the Ulster on the list?
It was a racing car you could buy. The Ulster of 1934 was shaped after Aston Martin’s works racing car, with a modified engine of 85bhp and a top speed of more than 100mph. It grew out of the Ulster TT road race: the success of Aston Martin’s team cars there led the company to build more of these lightweight two-seaters for customers.
What makes the DB4 GT Zagato so rare?
Only 19 were made. Shown in October 1960, it was a lighter DB4 GT with two-seater bodywork by Zagato of Milan, designed by the 23-year-old Ercole Spada, and a claimed 314 bhp. Aston Martin had planned 25. Four more works-approved cars were completed in 1991, and two ‘Sanction III’ cars were approved in 1992.
Why is the DB5 so famous?
Because of James Bond. The DB5 appeared in Goldfinger in 1963, the year it was launched, and again in Thunderball. Beneath the fame it was the first road-going Aston Martin with the 4-litre version of Tadek Marek’s twin-cam straight-six, with triple SU carburettors, a claimed 282 bhp and a top speed of some 150 mph.
What did the DB6 add?
Space and a famous tail. Launched in October 1965 on a longer wheelbase, the DB6 had a cut-off Kamm tail with a lip spoiler that wind-tunnel tests showed cut lift at the rear wheels by over 30 per cent. It went on to sell in far larger numbers than either the DB4 or the DB5.
Why is the 1977 V8 Vantage remembered?
For its speed. The V8 Vantage arrived in 1977 with a top speed of 170mph, and later Vantage engines were offered in 410 bhp ‘X-pack’ and 435 bhp ‘Big Bore’ forms. Vantage is still the name of Aston Martin’s sports car today.
What made the V12 Vanquish of 2001 special?
Its construction. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2001, it was built on an aluminium and carbon fibre structure and used a paddle-shift gearbox. It began a name that has now run to three generations: 2001–2007, 2012–2018 and the current Vanquish from 2024.
Why is the 2007 DBS on the list?
It was James Bond’s Aston Martin in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Under the bodywork was a hand-built V12 of 510 bhp.
What was the One-77?
A hypercar limited to 77 cars. It combined a carbon fibre monocoque with a 7.3-litre V12, and Aston Martin revealed it as its fastest car yet, with a top speed of 220mph.
What is the Vulcan?
A track-only Aston Martin. Built in 2015 with an all-carbon-fibre body and chassis and more than 800 bhp, it was limited to 24 examples.
Why does the Valkyrie belong here?
It brought Formula 1 thinking to a road car. Its 6.5-litre V12, developed with Cosworth, revs to 11,100 rpm and produces 1001 bhp, and with its hybrid electric motor the peak is 1,055 PS. It is also a racing car: the Valkyrie competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA as the only challenger derived from a road-legal hypercar.
Common Questions
- Why are the DB4, DB7 and DBX not on this list? Because they changed the company itself: the DB4 was the first new production car built at Newport Pagnell, the DB7 multiplied Aston Martin’s volumes under Ford, and the DBX, its first SUV, opened a second factory at St Athan. Otto covers them in the article on the cars that defined Aston Martin.
- Which Aston Martins have been James Bond cars? Several. The DB5 appeared in Goldfinger and Thunderball, the DBS was Bond’s car in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and the DB10, based on the V8 Vantage, was built specially for him.
- What does Zagato mean on an Aston Martin? A body by the Milan coachbuilder Zagato. The partnership began with the DB4 GT Zagato on this list and has returned several times since, most recently with the DBS GT Zagato.
- Is the Valkyrie a road car or a racing car? Both. The Valkyrie family includes the road-going Coupe and Spider, the track-only AMR Pro and the Valkyrie LM, and a Valkyrie races in endurance championships.
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