19th November 2015 5:00pm EST
THE ORIGINAL, LETHALLY-ELEGANT MACHINE
Considered by many to be the purest form of the Aston Martin DB4 range, the Series One has the distinctive egg-crate grille, larger front bonnet scoop, and straight, cathedral tail-lights which were all part of the original Touring of Milan design. The all-aluminum body sheathing a very potent twin-overhead-cam powerhouse and newly-designed 4-wheel disc brakes, made for a quite subtle, but highly capable package.
“Performance, controllability, and comfort have combined in the DB4 to make it a highly desirable car; one in which long journeys can be completed very quickly indeed with the minimum of risk or discomfort, and the maximum of pleasure.”
This DB4 was delivered new via Aston Martin's United States West Coast importer, Mr. Charles Hornburg, to its first owner, Mr. Paul S. Pollack (Karl's Shoes Limited) of Los Angeles, California. Much of this DB4’s early history remains unknown, but in the 1990’s it was fully restored by the highly-respected Aston Martin Vintage Racing technician, Mr. S. Rodd. Circa 2000, Mr. R. Minella, a well-known Connecticut automobile collector, owned this DB4. In Mr. Minella’s care, this DB4 won several First-In-Class Concours trophies. More recently, it was sold to another noted Aston collector and moved from the USA to the UK. Recently, Autosport Designs, Inc., based in Long Island, NY, purchased this DB4.
The DB4 was unveiled in its purest form at the 1958 Paris Motor Show. It was a totally new car, which was quite an achievement for a highly-regarded, but small, British manufacturer. It was a new platform chassis, had disc brakes all around, and used a completely new, 3.7-liter, straight-six-cylinder engine. Its body was styled by Touring of Milan and thus carried their Superleggera all-aluminum body, a true masterpiece of British engineering with Italian style. The Series 1 DB4 was the car that created the Aston Martin DB legend, and from the onset was hailed as a masterpiece. On the heels of the Aston Martin overall win at LeMans and a new car design for the company, Aston had an immediate hit on their hands. Today, a DB4 makes what is defined as the perfect touring car; it is eligible for most vintage tours in the world, offering breathtaking styling matched with world-class performance, all in a car that is comfortable to drive for hundreds of miles.
This DB4 has recently been given a thorough overall service. It is complete with books, tools, and factory jack and will be a welcome addition to any enthusiast’s garage or collection. It has enjoyed the best of everything, has been used only 6,000 miles since restoration, and remains in superb condition throughout.
The Series 1 is considered by many to be the most beautiful of the DB4 range due to its egg-crate grille, larger front bonnet scoop, and straight, cathedral taillights - all part of the original Touring of Milan design.
One can collect and drive any number of “lesser” vintage GT cars, but if you’re a gentleman with superb, discerning taste and a tendency towards quiet exhibitions of serious maleness, one needs a DB4.
“I catch sight of the Aston’s reflection in a shop front; it looks almost surreally beautiful…”