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Automotive Lifestyle
VINTAGE: Aston Martin’s DB4 GT Racer
Lightened and fortified, the DB4 did well on the track but fell behind Ferrari’s new short-wheelbase 250 GT.
This Aston Martin DB4 GT is a regular competitor in the RAC TT Celebration race at Goodwood Revival. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
For Aston Martin, 1959 was very much a watershed year. The company had finally won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the world championship outright, and introduced its first all-new road car in nearly a decade.
With the job done, Aston Martin retired its works team and instead focused on developing a competition version of this new DB4 intended for customers to race in the Grand Touring or GT class. The new racing car was introduced at that year's London Motor Show and was appropriately dubbed the DB4 GT.
Compared with the standard road car, it featured a shorter wheelbase, lighter body and more-powerful engine. It was immediately successful in national events but on the major races, it faced strong opposition from the latest Ferrari 250 GT SWB, which was lighter still.
In order to bridge the gap, Aston Martin Racing developed a Lightweight version and later even commissioned Zagato to create an all-new body. Whilethis work did not bring the desired results, the various DB4 GT variants still rank among the most sought after Aston Martins.
We have taken a closer look at this finely honed GT racer with a 18-shot gallery of a DB4 GT and a 12-shot galley of two of the rare Lightweights. All are shown in action during the Goodwood Revival, where the DB4 GT is a regular entry in the prestigious RAC TT Celebration race.
It was one year after the DB4's debut that Aston Martin launched the DB4 GT. Designed to break Ferrari's GT-racing stronghold, it was built for both the works teams and privateers. Outwardly, subtle changes distinguished the GT from the standard DB4. Under the Touring-styled body, various modifications were carried through that really turned the DB4 into a racer.
Weight reduction was one of the objectives in the GT's design. Most weight was saved by a wheelbase reduction of just over 12 cm (4.7 inhces). For the body construction, the Superleggera principle of body panels fixed on a tubular frame was used. The alloy panels of the standard DB4 were replaced by 18-gauge magnesium aluminum-alloy panels on the GT. Most distinguishable features of the GT were the large air scoops and the cowled front lights.
The DB4 was the first roadgoing Aston Martin to be equipped with the all-alloy 3,670 cc straight-six engine, which was designed by Tadek Marek. In stock form, the engine produced a decent 240 horsepower, sufficient for road use but not enough to face the competition on the track.
Power was increased to a factory-claimed 302 horsepower by fitting a twin-plug head, three Weber Carburetors instead of the two SUs, and twin distributors.
With the job done, Aston Martin retired its works team and instead focused on developing a competition version of this new DB4 intended for customers to race in the Grand Touring or GT class. The new racing car was introduced at that year's London Motor Show and was appropriately dubbed the DB4 GT.
Compared with the standard road car, it featured a shorter wheelbase, lighter body and more-powerful engine. It was immediately successful in national events but on the major races, it faced strong opposition from the latest Ferrari 250 GT SWB, which was lighter still.
In order to bridge the gap, Aston Martin Racing developed a Lightweight version and later even commissioned Zagato to create an all-new body. Whilethis work did not bring the desired results, the various DB4 GT variants still rank among the most sought after Aston Martins.
We have taken a closer look at this finely honed GT racer with a 18-shot gallery of a DB4 GT and a 12-shot galley of two of the rare Lightweights. All are shown in action during the Goodwood Revival, where the DB4 GT is a regular entry in the prestigious RAC TT Celebration race.
It was one year after the DB4's debut that Aston Martin launched the DB4 GT. Designed to break Ferrari's GT-racing stronghold, it was built for both the works teams and privateers. Outwardly, subtle changes distinguished the GT from the standard DB4. Under the Touring-styled body, various modifications were carried through that really turned the DB4 into a racer.
Weight reduction was one of the objectives in the GT's design. Most weight was saved by a wheelbase reduction of just over 12 cm (4.7 inhces). For the body construction, the Superleggera principle of body panels fixed on a tubular frame was used. The alloy panels of the standard DB4 were replaced by 18-gauge magnesium aluminum-alloy panels on the GT. Most distinguishable features of the GT were the large air scoops and the cowled front lights.
The DB4 was the first roadgoing Aston Martin to be equipped with the all-alloy 3,670 cc straight-six engine, which was designed by Tadek Marek. In stock form, the engine produced a decent 240 horsepower, sufficient for road use but not enough to face the competition on the track.
Power was increased to a factory-claimed 302 horsepower by fitting a twin-plug head, three Weber Carburetors instead of the two SUs, and twin distributors.
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