1960 Aston Martin DB4GT

The Aston Martin DB4 GT made its first appearance in 1959, just a year after the original DB4 had its own grand unveiling. Designed to rival the Ferrari 250 GT on the racetrack, the DB4 GT was a brilliant fusion of British engineering and Italian design, thanks to Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, who had also crafted the body of the standard DB4.

The car was introduced at the 1959 London Motor Show and immediately turned heads, partly because racing legend Stirling Moss piloted it to victory at the International Trophy at Silverstone in the same year. While it was engineered for competitive racing, it also captivated road car aficionados.

A major focus of the DB4 GT's design was minimizing weight. To achieve this, Aston Martin trimmed the wheelbase by around 12 inches and utilized a lightweight 18-gauge magnesium-aluminum alloy on a tubular frame, drawing from the Superleggera design philosophy. Unique features like hidden front headlamps behind Plexiglas covers, strategically positioned air intakes for optimal cooling, and a 3670 cc inline-six engine that churned out an impressive 302 horsepower, distinguished the DB4 GT.

Initially, the DB4 GT was able to compete against Ferrari's long-wheelbase 250 GTs on the track. However, when Ferrari introduced the 250 GT SWB, the DB4 GT found itself outpaced, yet it remained a formidable contender.

Aston Martin only produced 74 units of the DB4 GT, many of which ended up in private collections as road cars, making them exceedingly rare and sought-after today. Interestingly, 30 of these were manufactured with left-hand drive, adding to their desirability in subsequent years. Although the DB4 GT didn't quite eclipse Ferrari in racing or achieve the sales success that Aston Martin had envisioned, it earned an iconic status within the brand's legacy. Seen as a stepping stone to the famous DB5—forever linked with James Bond—the DB4 GT was a groundbreaking vehicle that was ahead of its time. Like its Italian counterpart, the Cisitalia 202, the DB4 GT stands as a landmark in automotive design, encapsulating the spirit of its era while also setting the stage for future sports cars.