Aston Martin DB4 Price Guide

The DB4 was a quantum leap for Aston Martin: the first car with the Tadek Marek straight-six engine, the first with Touring’s Superleggera body construction, and the car that established the template every subsequent DB would follow. It is the purest of the David Brown-era Astons.

The Car

Produced from 1958 to 1963 across five series, the DB4 used a 3.7-litre all-aluminium twin-cam six producing 240bhp. Superleggera construction (aluminium panels over a framework of small-diameter steel tubes) kept weight to around 1,315kg. Five series of incremental improvements refined the car throughout its production run. The DB4 GT, with a shorter wheelbase, faired-in headlamps, and 302bhp, was the competition variant. The DB4 GT Zagato, with a lightweight aluminium body by the Italian coachbuilder, is one of the most valuable cars in the world.

What to Know

The early 3.7-litre engines are prone to overheating; improved oil cooling was introduced during production but check for cracked heads and coolant contamination. The Superleggera structure is expensive to restore. The DB4 is lighter and more agile than the DB5 that succeeded it, and many Aston enthusiasts consider it the better driver’s car. Vantage-engined cars and the GT variants command substantial premiums.