Aston Martin DB Mark III

Last updated

Aston Martin DB Mark III
1957 Aston Martin DB Mk III fr.jpg
1957 Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mark III
Overview
Manufacturer Aston Martin
Production19571959
551 produced
Designer John Turner
Body and chassis
Class Sports car
Body style 2+2 hatchback
2-seat coupé
2-seat drophead
Layout FR layout
Powertrain
Engine 2.9 L Lagonda I6
Dimensions
Wheelbase 99 in (2,515 mm)
Length172 in (4,369 mm)
Width65 in (1,651 mm)
Height53.5 in (1,359 mm)
Kerb weight 3,000 lb (1,361 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II
Successor Aston Martin DB4

The DB 2/4 Mark III (normally simply called DB Mark III, even at the time of its introduction) is a grand tourer sold by Aston Martin from 1957 until 1959. It was an evolution of the DB2/4 Mark II model it replaced, using an evolution of that car's W.O. Bentley-designed 2.9 L (2922 cc/178 in³) Lagonda straight-6 engine, redesigned by Tadek Marek.

Contents

It was succeeded by the Aston Martin DB4 in 1958.

Overview

Changes included the front grille, that would become the shape of all future Aston Martin models (designed by Bert Thickpenny), a new instrument panel, and available Girling disc brakes. The hydraulically operated clutch was new as well, and an optional Laycock-de Normanville overdrive that was attached to the standard four-speed gearbox after the first 100 cars or even an automatic transmission were available. Worm-and-sector steering and a live axle rear end were carryovers. At the rear, the DB2/4 Mark II's tailfins (after the earliest few cars) were altered to use the rear lights from the Humber Hawk.

The standard DBA engine model with twin SU carburettors produced 162 hp (121 kW), though an optional dual-exhaust system raised this to a reputed 178 hp (133 kW). Thus equipped, the car could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.3 seconds and hit 120 mph (193 km/h).

A mid-level DBD option with triple SU 1.75" carbs and dual exhaust produced 180 hp (134 kW), and was fitted to 47 cars.

A high-output DBB engine with three twin-choke Weber 35 DCO 3 carburettors, special long duration camshafts, high compression 8.6:1 pistons and the dual-exhaust system was rated at 195 hp (145 kW) and ordered on just 10 cars.

One car was fitted with the special DBC competition engine with a reputed 214 b.h.p., this was fitted with racing camshafts, special connecting rods, very high compression pistons (possibly 9.5:1) & three twin-choke Weber 45 DCO 3 carburettors.

The DB Mark III featured a hatchback body first seen on the DB2-4. 1959 Aston Martin DB3 rear & side.jpg
The DB Mark III featured a hatchback body first seen on the DB2-4.
The hatch's struts and springs are visible from inside 1958 Aston Martin DB24 Mark III hatch.JPG
The hatch's struts and springs are visible from inside

Girling disc brakes were fitted as standard to the front wheels of all Mark III Astons after the first 100 had been made. Many cars were upgraded later. Only five automatic cars were made from a total of 551.

A hatchback body style, complete with fold-down rear seats, was introduced in the 2/4 MkI in 1953.

A 1959 review by The US automobile magazine Road & Track praised the car for everything but its $7,450 price. "A car for connoisseurs," they called it. "The Aston has many virtues and few faults." Among the faults was too-heavy steering effort, high door sills, and a stiff ride.

Coupé, convertible

1959 DB 2/4 Mark III Drophead Coupe with the DBD engine 1959 Aston Martin DB 2-4 Mark III Drophead Coupe.jpg
1959 DB 2/4 Mark III Drophead Coupé with the DBD engine

Along with the hatchback, two two-seater coupé variants of the Mark III were also produced. A "drophead coupé" convertible, while not common, still considerably outnumbers the "fixed head coupé" – 84 of the former were produced, while just five of the latter were built. All five Fixed Head Coupés were built close to the end of Mark III production and feature the mid-spec DBD engine. [1] Both of these body styles feature conventional hinged boot lids rather than the innovative hatchback.

James Bond

James Bond drives an Aston Martin DB Mark III in the novel version of Goldfinger , though it is referred to as a "DB III" in the book – the chapter in which he drives to his famous golf-course encounter with the villain is entitled 'Thoughts in a DB III'. It is the only Bond car in the Ian Fleming novels to have gadgets installed. For the film adaptation five years later, the car was updated to the Aston Martin DB5 model and the array of gadgetry was much expanded. That model was to become one of the most iconic of classic cars as a result.

Production

LHD: 83

Die-cast models

The DB Mk III was included in the Spot-on range in the early 1960s.

Oxford Die-Cast have issued models of both the hatchback and the drophead.

Spark Models have issued 1/43 models of the drophead, labelled "DB2/4 Cabriolet 1959".

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vauxhall Firenza</span> Motor vehicle

The Firenza is a model of car offered by Vauxhall from May 1971 until 1975. It was a development of the Viva, but had a distinctive coupé body style (fastback) and only two doors. In South Africa, it was sold as the Chevrolet Firenza until it was replaced by the Chevrolet 1300/1900 during 1975. Its name is derived from Firenze, the name of the Italian city known in English as Florence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vauxhall Astra</span> Motor vehicle

The Vauxhall Astra is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) that has been sold by Vauxhall since 1980. Over its eight generations, it has been made at several GM/Opel/Stellantis plants around Europe - however most versions have been sourced from Vauxhall's plant at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguar XK150</span> Motor vehicle

The Jaguar XK150 is a sports car produced by Jaguar between 1957 and 1961 as the successor to the XK140.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunbeam Alpine</span> Two seat automobile built 1953–1975

The Sunbeam Alpine is a two-seater sports roadster/drophead coupé that was produced by the Rootes Group from 1953 to 1955, and then 1959 to 1968. The name was then used on a two-door fastback coupé from 1969 to 1975. The original Alpine was launched in 1953 as the first vehicle from Sunbeam-Talbot to bear the Sunbeam name alone since Rootes Group bought Clément-Talbot, and later the moribund Sunbeam from its receiver in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunbeam Rapier</span> Motor vehicle

The Sunbeam Rapier is an automobile produced by Rootes Group from 1955 until 1976, in two different body-styles, the "Series" cars and the later (1967–76) fastback shape, part of the "Arrow" range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MG T-type</span> Motor vehicle

The MG T-Type is a series of body-on-frame open two-seater sports cars that were produced by MG from 1936 to 1955. The series included the MG TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, and MG TF Midget models. The last of these models, the TF, was replaced by the MGA. Although the design was similar to contemporary cars of the 1930s, it came to be considered outdated by the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin DB6</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin DB6 is a grand tourer made by British car manufacturer Aston Martin and was produced from September 1965 to January 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin DB2</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin DB2 is a grand tourer that was sold by Aston Martin from May 1950 until April 1953. The successor to the 2-Litre Sports model, it had a comparatively advanced dual overhead cam 2.6 L Lagonda straight-6 engine in place of the previous overhead valve engine straight-four engine. It was available as a closed, 2-seater coupé which Aston Martin called a sports saloon, and later also as a drophead coupé, which accounted for a quarter of the model's total sales. The closed version had some success in racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin DB2/4</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin DB2/4 is a grand tourer produced by Aston Martin from 1953 until 1957. It was available as a 2+2 hatchback saloon, drophead coupé (DHC) and 2-seat fixed-head coupé. A small number of Bertone bodied spiders were commissioned by private buyers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin DB4</span> Motor vehicle

The DB4 is a grand tourer that was produced by Aston Martin from 1958 until 1963..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin V8</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin V8 is a grand tourer manufactured by Aston Martin in the United Kingdom from 1969 to 1989. As with all traditional Aston Martins, it was entirely handbuilt – with each car requiring 1,200 man-hours to finish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin DB3</span>

The Aston Martin DB3 and later DB3S were sports racing cars built in the 1950s. Although they used some DB2 parts, they were quite different, being designed specially for racing. The original modifications were done by ex-Auto Union engineer, Eberan von Eberhorst, though others handled the later DB3S work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977)</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a British grand tourer, a higher performance version of the Aston Martin V8. It was hailed at its 1977 introduction as "Britain's First Supercar" for its 170 mph (270 km/h) top speed. Its engine was shared with the Lagonda, but it used high-performance camshafts, increased compression ratio, larger inlet valves and bigger carburettors mounted on new manifolds for increased output. Straight-line performance was the best of the day, with acceleration from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.3 seconds, one-tenth of a second quicker than the Ferrari Daytona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AC Aceca</span> Motor vehicle

The Aceca is a closed coupé from the British AC Cars company, produced from 1954 until 1963. The car originally had an AC engine but the similar Bristol-engined Aceca-Bristol was also available alongside the original from 1956 to 1963 when production of that engine ceased. A few cars were built from 1961 to 1963 with a 2553 cc tuned Ford Zephyr engine and sold as the Aceca 2.6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagonda straight-6 engine</span>

The Lagonda Straight-6 is a famous automobile engine used by Aston Martin and Lagonda marques in the 1950s. Designed by Willie Watson under the supervision of Walter Owen Bentley of Bentley Motors Limited, it vaulted Aston Martin to fame as a maker of desirable sports and racing cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagonda 2.6-Litre</span> Motor vehicle

The Lagonda 2.6-Litre was an automobile produced in England by Lagonda from 1948 to 1953. It was the first model from that company following its purchase by David Brown in 1947, and was named for the new straight-6 engine which debuted with the car. The Lagonda straight-6 engine was designed by W. O. Bentley and would propel Lagonda's new parent company, Aston Martin, to fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagonda 3-Litre</span> Motor vehicle

The Lagonda 3-Litre is an automobile which was produced by Aston Martin Lagonda from 1953 until 1958. It was the second Lagonda model of the David Brown/Aston Martin era. The 3-Litre was fitted with a higher displacement 2.9 L 140 bhp version of the twin overhead camshaft Lagonda Straight-6 engine designed by Walter Owen Bentley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daimler Conquest</span> Motor vehicle

The Daimler Conquest is an automobile which was produced by The Daimler Company Limited in the United Kingdom from 1953 to 1958. Based on the Lanchester Fourteen, the Conquest replaced the Daimler Consort. Sales were affected by increasing prices and by the fuel shortage caused by the Suez Crisis, and production ended by January 1958, before a replacement model was in production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin Atom</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston MartinAtom is a prototype automobile built by Aston Martin (AM). Construction of the car began in 1939 and was completed in 1940. The Atom is one of the first fully functional concept cars ever built. Aston Martin explored several new technologies with the Atom, and its chassis design was the basis for the platform used by AM's post-war models well into the late 1950s.

The Sunbeam Afridi was an aero-engine produced by Sunbeam during the First World War.

References

  1. "DB 2/4 MkIII". Aston Service Dorset. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

Further reading