Had a 6 in the early-1970s and liked it more than the 5 a friend had, but the car was a maintenance nightmare. A valve adjustment basically involved removing the head and performing a full valve job! Mind you, the 5 was the same way... That sort of thing plus the availability and cost of parts led me to sell the Aston. Bought a 330 GTC Ferrari and kept it for almost 30 years with virtually no trouble, and the maintenance and minor repairs could be done in my garage. Never had a problem with parts, although they weren't cheap. I sometimes wish I'd kept the GTC, but I got a REALLY good price for it, and they buyer was dellighted to find an original two-owner car for any price. Love the videos...
In January of 1966, I saw a dark blue one with white (bone?) interior mounted on and angle in the DB showroom in London (on Piccadilly?). It was gorgeous and I fell instantly in love and have been ever since.
In the most unlikely 'street race', I came across a DB6 Vantage while on the country roads near my house in my MG Midget 1500... This was 2002ish and my MG was just back from a full resto/mod with stage 2 engine etc... obviously the DB6 was quicker on the straights but I'd catch him again in the corners! That was fun. Props to the DB6 owner for indulging me!
I also prefer the DB-6 kammback to the DB-5, but I like the beautiful chrome bumpers way better than the empty mounting holes. Great review of an overlooked classic.
I also prefer the styling of the DB6. The longer wheelbase relative to the body helped and the Kamm tail looks great to my eye. Removing the bumpers on this one was an odd decision...it looks like a rolling restoration.
I couldn't agree more. Either leave the bumpers on or do it properly and weld up the holes. This halfway approach makes it look like the owner didn't have the conviction or bravery to go all the way.
Re the Kamm tail, the markets tell you whether you are in the majority.... in this case I agree with the crowd that the rear spoils the aesthetic balance. I especially had issues with the rear light cluster on the DB6, and overall it's a bit heavier looking. But these are really nitpicks. In all other respects it's better than the DB5. True purists prefer the DB4. Agree the bumper needs replacing.
The wobbly speedo is because the speedometer drive cable is fraying, I had it multiple times on Minis and other cars. What will happen is the cable frays, gets stuck, winds up and then unwinds. If you catch it in time you may only need an inner cable. If not, you'll have to replace the whole thing (which often means getting out lots of dashboard parts).
I remember being taken out in a DB6 when I was about 10 years old and it's a memory of never forgot I was amazed how fast it felt for an older car but it was a car that had been fully restored so was perfect, great review Jack 👍
I drove an Austin Healey 3000 mk3 recently Jack and what you said about the heavy, slow but rewardingly precise gear change and weighty but slow yet communicative steering of the DB6 reminded me of that. Not surprising really being a similar sort of car in period just for a slightly less well heeled gentleman!
I've always loved the "quirky" tail of the DB6. I guess I'll never understand the idea that driving around with your car missing pieces somehow "improves" one of the most glorious designs of all time. Sad.
I'd definitely take a DB6 over the 5 Jack, I don't know why but Aston Martin has never been on my radar as far as dream cars go. I do appreciate the looks of the DB6 tho and the 5 but id take a Miura over them any day of the week! I'm still stunned at how many cars you're getting on the channel Jack! A lot of the cars you've driven I've never seen in the real world.
An interesting point of view but I have to disagree. I've driven all the DB era Astons from the 2, 2/4 Mkiii, 4, 5 and 6 including vantage versions. I've also had the experience of my parents' daily driver, a DB5 vantage C. In those days, they were cheapish 2nd hand - I think they paid almost £2k for it in the 1970s! In the 80s I worked for Aston specialist R.S.Williams on and off for a couple of years and part of my job was to collect and deliver customer cars, and cars for restoration, to and from the workshop. Sometimes these journeys were for several hundred miles so I think I can compare the DB4s, 5s and 6s with some degree of experience. In my view, the DB4 was a sports car that was nimble and a joy driven near the limit; at about 1300 kg it was eager to change direction and was a drivers car of great character and ability. The DB5 was a great sporting GT and in vantage form was also a great sports car but was entering 'saloon' car weight at around 1450 kg. The DB5 handles very well and one could feel the suspension firming up during a corner and then it would very gently drift with no drama, a grown-up DB4. But the extra heft of the DB6, and it's entirely different construction, puts it firmly in the saloon car mode - a huge mistake from a design perspective as it felt, in comparison to the DB5, under powered and reluctant to be hustled with any alacrity. In automatic form it was even worse. BTW Selectaride was available on the 5s and 6s. Even at the slow pace of your test, you noticed how poorly the car steered as it turned in, and that stodgy feel is what makes it a worse car than the DB5. If you wanted a proper 4-seater then a Lagonda would have been a better bet.
I'm surprised you didn't get a heart for that from the channel - the first hand, authentic experience seems to me to chime precisely with the ethos of the channel.... what a shame. .
I agree. I wish I had been able to drive a DB4.. I am old enough to have owned a DB5 back in the 60s. It felt vault-solid and nimble (it did not have radial tires) and was gorgeous (metallic blue with biscuit interior). And it was reliable--it never broke down. I enjoyed washing it because the bodywork was so well finished--including the edges of the wheel arches. I was impressed by the up-to-date kamm and bigger lights (front and rear) of the new DB6, but felt it was too big and heavy (and expensive) at a time when I was considering something lightweight. I traded in the DB5 for a new E-type roadster and regretted it. The E was lightweight and possessed a beautiful motor, but it felt glued together and kept blowing fuses--that I learned how to change at stoplights (just pop down the center panel on the dash). And even though the bonnet louvers were fun, I did not enjoy washing the E as much as the DB5--the edges of the wheel arches, though smooth, were not as completely finished. I don't know why my DB5 had three little lights on each side in back (instead of single vertical covers shown in this video) and it did not have ride adjustment, but, again, it was gorgeous.
Interesting comments. My Dad bought his DB6 back in the early 80’s and still has it. We drove from London to Italy and back for a family vacation. 4 adults and luggage and it didn’t miss a beat. Was comfy too. Now I drive it and find the brakes and gear change great but the steering at parking speeds is hard work. Keep up with the great videos
Personally, I prefer the looks of the series 4 DB4 (with or without the sloping headlights) to the DB5 or DB6. Being smaller seems to just give better proportions to my eye. Given any of them would be left for dead by any modern hot hatch, might as well have the one you think is the best looking.
The backend may be more functional, but the 5 beats the look in my book. The angles of the grill and headlights combine to remind me of something Mitsuoka would put out. I’d go DB5 all the way if we’re just comparing looks
God damn what a special special piece of automotive art 👏 that view over the bonnet is simply stunning… I spent a lot of time drooling over one of these at simply Aston a few years back. Another excellent video Jack 👏
I love the DB6. Very nearly bought one, British Racing Green, in 1984 but decided I would be putting too many miles on it with my life at the time. Bad decision, prices went through the roof shortly afterwards! The fastback really improves the look for me.
Great video Jack , I did some mods on a DB4 at my shop in California , it really was a nice car to drive , but the 5 & 6 are truly special , I too like the Kamm tail & if it were mine I'd fit the 1 piece DB5 rear bumper to complete the overall stylish look. FWIW tell the owner to put in a new speedometer cable , that is why the speedometer needle is bouncing . Keep 'em coming Jack.
Hi Jack, I'm with you. I prefer the styling of the DB6 over the DB5. Note the difference in the rear sidewindows, which I think looks better on the DB6. Nice car! A classic Aston. Great find (as always)! Thank you.
Yes the styling of the DB6 is very nice and I like the 'spoiler' Kamm tail despite what some people think. Don't get me wrong the DB5 was a great car and the films no doubt helped with it's popularity and of course increasing the price! This is a good example of the DB6 and I like the colour. Not so sure about the absence of bumpers but if the owner has them stored then if he came to sell it would be easy to reinstate them. Thanks Jack, keep up the good work.👍👍
What an absolute stunner, Jack!! I have always had a soft spot for the 60's era Aston Martin DB cars, there is just something in the looks and the Sound that I find so inviting! That 4L Six has such a deliciously fruity note that that alone would be enough for me to reach for my chequebook (if it weren't currently made of rubber lol) but then add in the shape, the handbuilt quality and I think they were probably worth whatever they were asking for them at the time. Thanks for featuring the DB6, out of curiosity if you ever get the opportunity to compare a Jaguar XKR and a David Brown Speedback GT I would love to see how they stack up having essentially the same bones, if it were my money deciding I would have to go with the XKR, but if price were no object then that Speedback GT invokes so many nods to the DB5 and 6 in it's appearance that it would be a very quick decision to choose that car. Take care, love the content, as always and cheers from a snowy day in Alberta, Canada!
Nice review. Being less valuable is of course relative, when something a bit scrappy can fetch £200k and the best are up around half a million. I do like the Kamm tail but prefer the styling on the older car and, dare I say it, for me the best looking of the series is the DB4. I've only driven the DB5, also no power steering, and it was lovely. It had good brakes and a fine snickerty-clickerty gear change well matched to the pedal weights and positioning; you could get the tail out with confidence even on a slightly damp track. So maybe your test DB6 does need a bit of fettling. That speedo may be just down to torque build-up in the cable and some lubrication might be all it needs. Checking the routing can also help. But if I was choosing I'd go for the DB4; it's not as capable as the 6 but who drives these every day now, and they all sound magnificent!
I’ve drooled over the DB6 since I saw a pristine red one parked in Plymouth as a child and almost lost my family, who walked on without noticing I had been rooted to the spot. I agree the styling is more harmonious than the 5, which to my eye has less elegant rear graphics than the 4, 4GT and 6. I seem to recall criticisms at the time of its weight, ponderous handling and old-school mechanical spec. But it’s still utterly gorgeous. Thanks for giving us a taste. Great review.
When I visited London in 1983 and stayed in Hampstead Heath, several examples of DB6 and DBS were parked just alongside the road - they were just used cars, imagine that! I am privileged thaving had the chance to drive two examples in my life. The first was in 2001, I hired it from Bespokes in Watford for four days. I could write a book about all the things I experienced with the car doing my personal road movie between Windsor and Brighton then. It helped me survive a hard time in my life. It's not comfortable or fast to modern standards (i drove the automatic version), but this throaty, but never obstrusively noisy sound, the whole appearance - it's in my heart forever
Jack! I always felt like I was pariah for liking the DB6 better than the DB5. Especially being a Bond fan. It's nice to see that I'm not totally out of my mind. And I agree, the Kamm tail is so much more pleasing visually. The 5's rear looks a old-fashioned in comparison. Awesome video, keep up the great work!
Hello Jack, that AM DB6 is one of the cars that turned me into an Automobile lover in my teenage years. Its the kind of car that awakens my soul when I just sit in it a while and enjoy the cockpit ambience and the aroma of the leather . For the last 35 years I have had the habit of turning on the lights in my Garage and just looking at and enjoying the presence of my "special" car before bedtime. Once I know its safe and cozy in the Garage I can sleep well. I would most definitely do that with a DB6 if I had one. Its so beautiful. [WITH the bumpers on]. I do hope you can find the V/8 model that you mentioned. Very nice video and you look like 007 James Bonds twin in the DB6!
This is one of those cars that makes a man go corrrrr, its utterly beautiful, but to hear your description of its drive over its better known brother was really enlightening. Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed it
Agree with you on preferring the DB6! Such a legendary engine, the reason David Brown purchased Lagonda was to obtain such a wonderful piece of engineering!
I have loved, worked on, and owned Astons for many years. I'm an AMOC curator at the San Francisco Auto Show, so we have a lineup of DB Astons to compare and contrast- but most importantly: enjoy. The DB4 has its charm and place in Aston lore, and looks smaller when parked immediately next to a DB5, which, in turn, looks slightly smaller when parked next to a DB6. The car that makes all 3 of these look old fashioned next to it is the sleek DBS. That is the car that I set upon to restore for myself and fall in love with, and she is also a Bond car. Driven all of them, and the DB6 is the best driver between the 4,5, and 6. Looks are really a subjective thing, and being a Boomer, the DB5 will always make my heart jump. The DB6 also suffered from the imposed taxes placed upon luxury cars in 1966 by the Crown, so that is another reason why many went unsold. Again, if you look at the Earl's Court Motor Show stand in 1969, you'll see that the DB6 did not age well when next to the new DBS. Love them all, wish I would have purchased one sooner, but that is life... Also, to work on a DB4 means pinched knuckles. Very difficult to install and engine or do a clutch job, especially the overdrive models. The DBS seems like a camper van to move my hands around in the engine bay! All of these cars are hand made and difficult to work on, and they are all a joy, however, the DBS is relatively scar free for me.
The DB 4, 5 and 6 are three of the most beautiful cars ever designed. They are also expensive cars to own, very expensive to restore and any of them would be slower than a Fiesta ST in the real world, but that's irrelevant. Was at Salon Prive last week and had the pleasure of seeing about 10 DB's on show. They are blue chip investments.
The next bond in the series "You Only Live Twice" (1967) took two years to come to our screens, and was mostly set in the far east, it featured the Toyota 2000 GT (hurriedly chopped for the film) By the time of the following "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) The DBS had become the latest Aston and the DB6 never had the chance to become a Bond car. A DB6 did appear in a deleted scene in "The Italian Job (1969)
I was still a boy growing up in the mid sixties when this came out. I remember the disappointment when Car & Driver magazine didn't like it. I remember particularly the road test stating that the noise level on the inside was simply unacceptable for a modern car, particularly a GT aspirant. Like all boys I loved the DB5 Bond car, but I still like the vent windows and the Kammback design of this one. We never got the Mark 2 DB6 here in the US with the wider fenders.
Jaguar we’re initially asked to supply a couple of E types for Goldfinger. Can you believe they said no!! To my eyes the etype is prettier, albeit for us shorter folk 😀
I’ve heard the story about people asking for Aston’s at cost price and them being more expensive, but I believe it may have been Victor Gauntlett hosting a visit of potential buyers later on in Aston’s history rather than the DB6.
Great video as a 17 year old in 1976 the local village garage had a DB6 for sale at £1050 got an insurance quote £1800 third party only only earned £2100 per annum so sadly the one that got away 😭😭
Excellent video thank you. The DB-5 is replicated by Aston and the price is in excess Of 4 M I think. I like the enhancements of the DB-6 and it’s plain to me that it’s a better choice at a more reasonable cost if well preserved and sorted. Also to the untrained eye it’s the same as the popular Bond version.
I prefer the db5 and love the rear lights,this is my dream car.When I was a kid living in fulham a neighbour lower down had two of them.one.Both silver and one was a convertible with a navy top.used to help wash them and then I got my corgi version watched the films and fell in love.❤
I wonder what Paul McCartney would have to say -- according to the interwebs, he had both a DB5 and a DB6. It sounds like it was one of the "I've arrived" cars of the Swinging Sixties in the UK!
Oh yes. The DB6 is indeed a much better looking car. A million years ago in another life, I photographed the current King Charles the t’ûrd next to his DB6 at a Smith’s Lawn polo match. The keys were left in the ignition, and it was guarded all day by a local Windsor bobby - back when there was still such a thing. Excellent video mate. Thank you for sharing. Peace
As with all Astons, its a beautiful design. But for me, I'd want the bumpers on - it's not a track car and it makes it look, particularly from the rear, like an unfinished project.
Your program is one of the best on classic cars on the Internet. I really like you also drive the not 'Greatest Cars Ever'. Come to think of it, Number 27 IS the best! By the way, what does 'Number 27' mean?
Lovely to look at, but: Mine leaked like a pig, no a/c and it misted up like a good un! The variable rate suspension had a lovely little rotary switch on the dash, which seemed to do nothing whatsoever, and it got raced away from the lights by an MGC! It also had the words "superleggere" in chrome on the bonnet, Aston attempt at humour since it weighed not much less than a Challenger 2! Mine was not the "vantage" but the standard 3 carb model, and it proved surprisingly reliable, biggest problem was the electric windows ( in fact I've still got the little winder you could plug in at the bottom of the door when the motor ceased to co-operate)in fact I believe it's still going strong after nearly 60 years! Any news on PLN334E would be gratefully received, a car of great character, like all the earlier Astons.
A friend has one and compared to my 911 from the same era, they are certainly not sports cars but are very sporting cars. They have a sense of occasion.
I'd rather take a DB6 as dark as looks are concerned. And I have to say that driving a DB6 Vantage was one of the greatest driving experiences I've had. And that SOUND !!!
Yeah there is a cult like following of the DB5, and, I DO appreciate that it is indeed a beautiful and capable car in its own right. But for me, the DB6 (as you say) just has that extra finesse and the shape, I just love it. If it was me though, I WOULD spend the time to fill in those bumper mount holes (and paint match) just to 'Finish it off' more.. WHAT A CAR! 👌😎🇬🇧
Glorious……. mellifluous straight six with “enough”…….. I’m with you in preferring the DB6 Never thought of the range as anything but a gentleman’s GT…….. dealt with a lovely silver Auto some years back…….. bliss 🇬🇧🙂
Never been much of a fan of the early Aston's but I must agree that the cam back on the 6 is much more attractive than the 5. I do think the longer quarter lights had a smoother line and better transition into the body. Find the alignment of the headlight in the opening on this model odd, like it's too short and trying to peer over the top of a fence. Thanks again for sharing Jack.
Lovely video of a great car and my preferred Aston. Unfortunately even one in reasonable condition goes for 100K+. So a car to dream about but out of the reach of most!
David Brown made tractors too! We had two on the farm and his name on the side of the hood! A long time ago but i do remember it like yesterday. They never had a problem at all.
3:48 Looks like the restoration budget ran out so he couldn't get the bumpers rechromed🤔... I mean, why else would anyone claim it looked better without the bumpers?!
Lovely to see you appreciate an Aston, Jack. You have only one character flaw, and that is the lack of mindless, slack-jawed admiration of everything with the angular wings on it. 😅 I am rendered helpless by everything since and including the DB9. Also, thanks for calling him "Prince Charles". That's what he is and always will be.
I think the DB6 is a better car. I like the Kamm tail and it works too. Perhaps body coloured rubber inserts for the bumper holes, but it does change the looks of the car. Or perhaps a Sebring treatment like the MGB. Very rare in Australia.
Can't dispute the DB6's looks, interior and charm - really wonderful. However it has the handling dynamics of a truck, not helped in this case by the non-assisted steering.
I've never been smitten by the looks of old Astons. They lacked the sleek, tautness of their Italian counterparts. The DB 5 looks okay to me, and I certainly don't think it's ugly, but it's not beautiful either. But I do like the DB6 bodywork. It's smoother and more flowy looking, and to me, it's just a cleaner, more coherent design. This is another good subject for a video, and has piqued my interest, as these older Astons aren't generally on my radar. You've made another interesting video, Jack.
Paul McCartney owned both the DB5 and DB6 in the 60s, somebody needs to talk to him about his car collection! He wrote "Hey Jude" in his DB6, which is definitely a "tick" for that model 😃
When I was living in London back around 2009, my wife took some appliance to be refurbished in Chalk Farm and who was going into Wagamama to have dinner? David Walliams & Matt Lucas! David Walliams might still have his DB6, but I only asked for a photo of the guys, not the DB6!! Here in Switzerland, there's a showroom near our town, and it had an Aston Martin V8 Vantage but it seems to have been sold over Xmas....Aston Workshop in Beamish have one, so does Graham Hunt and Runnymede Thames Valley have a nice looking Red one also. I am a closet classic Aston Martin fan! Maybe you can get a chance to drive a viewers car, of course... Blessings to you, Jack!
I never quite understood how the British seem to separate the DB5 and DB6 as if they were two totally different cars, while in reality they share 99% of their DNA. It’s as if someone tried to say that the Ferrari 308 is Soooo different from the 328 that one is valued half the other, and not dignified to appear next to the other… honestly I love both DB5 and DB6 and if I could get my hands on either one on my budget, I would!
To me the Aston Martins of the Sixties wer probably the loveliest vehicles that were ever produced the the UK. I LOVE them. For me Aston Martin was the British equivalent to Maserati, the Iso Grifo and some other great GTs and the only non Italian car that was in this league. Never again cars were that beautiful. Better, could be but not as much fun!
If you park her under my carport I won't complain at all ! Always loved that quirqy DB6 , classic front and Kamm tail mix nicely to me . And.........don't forghet that Tadek Marek inline 6 . ❤
My father's business partner bought a DB6 new in period in a beautiful metallic violet finish, which you rarely see; however, I can remember that the paintwork faded very badly on one of the wings, which was unforgivable on a hand-built car and one that cost twice the price of a Jaguar E-Type.
Had a 6 in the early-1970s and liked it more than the 5 a friend had, but the car was a maintenance nightmare. A valve adjustment basically involved removing the head and performing a full valve job! Mind you, the 5 was the same way... That sort of thing plus the availability and cost of parts led me to sell the Aston. Bought a 330 GTC Ferrari and kept it for almost 30 years with virtually no trouble, and the maintenance and minor repairs could be done in my garage. Never had a problem with parts, although they weren't cheap. I sometimes wish I'd kept the GTC, but I got a REALLY good price for it, and they buyer was dellighted to find an original two-owner car for any price. Love the videos...
In January of 1966, I saw a dark blue one with white (bone?) interior mounted on and angle in the DB showroom in London (on Piccadilly?). It was gorgeous and I fell instantly in love and have been ever since.
In the most unlikely 'street race', I came across a DB6 Vantage while on the country roads near my house in my MG Midget 1500... This was 2002ish and my MG was just back from a full resto/mod with stage 2 engine etc... obviously the DB6 was quicker on the straights but I'd catch him again in the corners!
That was fun. Props to the DB6 owner for indulging me!
Would love to Do the same in aHonda S600 sports roadster from 1963
I also prefer the DB-6 kammback to the DB-5, but I like the beautiful chrome bumpers way better than the empty mounting holes. Great review of an overlooked classic.
If I was an owner, I'd prefer to be repairing or replacing bumpers, instead of panel-work!
I also prefer the styling of the DB6. The longer wheelbase relative to the body helped and the Kamm tail looks great to my eye. Removing the bumpers on this one was an odd decision...it looks like a rolling restoration.
I couldn't agree more. Either leave the bumpers on or do it properly and weld up the holes. This halfway approach makes it look like the owner didn't have the conviction or bravery to go all the way.
Or at least put some caps in those holes, as they would on a race car.
I agree put the bumpers back on!
Re the Kamm tail, the markets tell you whether you are in the majority.... in this case I agree with the crowd that the rear spoils the aesthetic balance. I especially had issues with the rear light cluster on the DB6, and overall it's a bit heavier looking. But these are really nitpicks. In all other respects it's better than the DB5. True purists prefer the DB4. Agree the bumper needs replacing.
@@jstevenson7121
“The market” is also affected by the rarity factor that can make a less successful car more desirable than another.
The wobbly speedo is because the speedometer drive cable is fraying, I had it multiple times on Minis and other cars. What will happen is the cable frays, gets stuck, winds up and then unwinds.
If you catch it in time you may only need an inner cable. If not, you'll have to replace the whole thing (which often means getting out lots of dashboard parts).
I remember being taken out in a DB6 when I was about 10 years old and it's a memory of never forgot I was amazed how fast it felt for an older car but it was a car that had been fully restored so was perfect, great review Jack 👍
I drove an Austin Healey 3000 mk3 recently Jack and what you said about the heavy, slow but rewardingly precise gear change and weighty but slow yet communicative steering of the DB6 reminded me of that. Not surprising really being a similar sort of car in period just for a slightly less well heeled gentleman!
I've always loved the "quirky" tail of the DB6. I guess I'll never understand the idea that driving around with your car missing pieces somehow "improves" one of the most glorious designs of all time. Sad.
You win the You Tube Most Stuffy Comment Award!!! 🎀 🏆 CONGRATULATIONS 💋
All of that series of cars, the DB4, 5, and 6, are all utterly gorgeous. They exude style and grace. Yes, I'm a huge fan.
I've always preferred the 6 for the reasons you list, plus, the higher roofline is welcomed by my 198cm frame. Lovely car!
I'd definitely take a DB6 over the 5 Jack, I don't know why but Aston Martin has never been on my radar as far as dream cars go.
I do appreciate the looks of the DB6 tho and the 5 but id take a Miura over them any day of the week! I'm still stunned at how many cars you're getting on the channel Jack! A lot of the cars you've driven I've never seen in the real world.
An interesting point of view but I have to disagree. I've driven all the DB era Astons from the 2, 2/4 Mkiii, 4, 5 and 6 including vantage versions. I've also had the experience of my parents' daily driver, a DB5 vantage C. In those days, they were cheapish 2nd hand - I think they paid almost £2k for it in the 1970s!
In the 80s I worked for Aston specialist R.S.Williams on and off for a couple of years and part of my job was to collect and deliver customer cars, and cars for restoration, to and from the workshop. Sometimes these journeys were for several hundred miles so I think I can compare the DB4s, 5s and 6s with some degree of experience. In my view, the DB4 was a sports car that was nimble and a joy driven near the limit; at about 1300 kg it was eager to change direction and was a drivers car of great character and ability.
The DB5 was a great sporting GT and in vantage form was also a great sports car but was entering 'saloon' car weight at around 1450 kg. The DB5 handles very well and one could feel the suspension firming up during a corner and then it would very gently drift with no drama, a grown-up DB4. But the extra heft of the DB6, and it's entirely different construction, puts it firmly in the saloon car mode - a huge mistake from a design perspective as it felt, in comparison to the DB5, under powered and reluctant to be hustled with any alacrity. In automatic form it was even worse.
BTW Selectaride was available on the 5s and 6s. Even at the slow pace of your test, you noticed how poorly the car steered as it turned in, and that stodgy feel is what makes it a worse car than the DB5. If you wanted a proper 4-seater then a Lagonda would have been a better bet.
I'm surprised you didn't get a heart for that from the channel - the first hand, authentic experience seems to me to chime precisely with the ethos of the channel.... what a shame. .
@@mrkiplingreallywasanexceed8311 Give Jack a chance - the video's only been up a couple of hours!
I agree. I wish I had been able to drive a DB4.. I am old enough to have owned a DB5 back in the 60s. It felt vault-solid and nimble (it did not have radial tires) and was gorgeous (metallic blue with biscuit interior). And it was reliable--it never broke down. I enjoyed washing it because the bodywork was so well finished--including the edges of the wheel arches. I was impressed by the up-to-date kamm and bigger lights (front and rear) of the new DB6, but felt it was too big and heavy (and expensive) at a time when I was considering something lightweight. I traded in the DB5 for a new E-type roadster and regretted it. The E was lightweight and possessed a beautiful motor, but it felt glued together and kept blowing fuses--that I learned how to change at stoplights (just pop down the center panel on the dash). And even though the bonnet louvers were fun, I did not enjoy washing the E as much as the DB5--the edges of the wheel arches, though smooth, were not as completely finished. I don't know why my DB5 had three little lights on each side in back (instead of single vertical covers shown in this video) and it did not have ride adjustment, but, again, it was gorgeous.
Thanks for your insight and interesting comments.. but the DB6 is only 7kg heavier than the 5.. so can’t see weight really being an issue?
Interesting. My parents bought our 3 bed detached in 1972 for £3,500. We clearly would have been better off with a DB5 and a couple of caravans...🧐
Interesting comments. My Dad bought his DB6 back in the early 80’s and still has it. We drove from London to Italy and back for a family vacation. 4 adults and luggage and it didn’t miss a beat. Was comfy too. Now I drive it and find the brakes and gear change great but the steering at parking speeds is hard work. Keep up with the great videos
Thanks for the memories Martin!
Personally, I prefer the looks of the series 4 DB4 (with or without the sloping headlights) to the DB5 or DB6. Being smaller seems to just give better proportions to my eye. Given any of them would be left for dead by any modern hot hatch, might as well have the one you think is the best looking.
I agree. The DB4 GT is perfection in my eyes
The backend may be more functional, but the 5 beats the look in my book. The angles of the grill and headlights combine to remind me of something Mitsuoka would put out. I’d go DB5 all the way if we’re just comparing looks
God damn what a special special piece of automotive art 👏 that view over the bonnet is simply stunning… I spent a lot of time drooling over one of these at simply Aston a few years back. Another excellent video Jack 👏
The looks, the sound❤ Seen them both in metal and I like the DB6 a lot more 😊
I love the way that the needles on Smiths gauges move. The sound of that inline-6 is marvelous.
Just bought a vintage Smiths kitchen timer; it looks like a 1950s-60s car speedometer!
Good call. I’ve always liked it more than DB5. Thanks for doing this. Enjoyed it.
I love the DB6. Very nearly bought one, British Racing Green, in 1984 but decided I would be putting too many miles on it with my life at the time. Bad decision, prices went through the roof shortly afterwards! The fastback really improves the look for me.
Great video Jack , I did some mods on a DB4 at my shop in California , it really was a nice car to drive , but the 5 & 6 are truly special , I too like the Kamm tail & if it were mine I'd fit the 1 piece DB5 rear bumper to complete the overall stylish look. FWIW tell the owner to put in a new speedometer cable , that is why the speedometer needle is bouncing . Keep 'em coming Jack.
Thank you Steve and enjoy Hawaii!!
Hi Jack, I'm with you. I prefer the styling of the DB6 over the DB5. Note the difference in the rear sidewindows, which I think looks better on the DB6. Nice car! A classic Aston. Great find (as always)! Thank you.
II'm a child of the 50s and went to my first motor show in 1963.Speaking as an old codger, I've always preferred the back end of the DB6
Yes the styling of the DB6 is very nice and I like the 'spoiler' Kamm tail despite what some people think. Don't get me wrong the DB5 was a great car and the films no doubt helped with it's popularity and of course increasing the price! This is a good example of the DB6 and I like the colour. Not so sure about the absence of bumpers but if the owner has them stored then if he came to sell it would be easy to reinstate them. Thanks Jack, keep up the good work.👍👍
As a young man in the 60's this was my dream car.
What an absolute stunner, Jack!! I have always had a soft spot for the 60's era Aston Martin DB cars, there is just something in the looks and the Sound that I find so inviting! That 4L Six has such a deliciously fruity note that that alone would be enough for me to reach for my chequebook (if it weren't currently made of rubber lol) but then add in the shape, the handbuilt quality and I think they were probably worth whatever they were asking for them at the time. Thanks for featuring the DB6, out of curiosity if you ever get the opportunity to compare a Jaguar XKR and a David Brown Speedback GT I would love to see how they stack up having essentially the same bones, if it were my money deciding I would have to go with the XKR, but if price were no object then that Speedback GT invokes so many nods to the DB5 and 6 in it's appearance that it would be a very quick decision to choose that car. Take care, love the content, as always and cheers from a snowy day in Alberta, Canada!
I prefer the DB6 as well. It may be less famous but it's no less a stunner. I'd call that rear end a tasteful nod to Bizzarrini and the 250 GTO.
5:02 Damn that' sounds good. 6 cylinders for race cars, 8 cylinders for tow cars ! Cheers from New Zealand 🇳🇿
DB5... DB6.. Both cars are gorgeous and remarkable in their own right!
Thank you for the showcase and the great content as always Sir Jack✌👍
Nice review. Being less valuable is of course relative, when something a bit scrappy can fetch £200k and the best are up around half a million. I do like the Kamm tail but prefer the styling on the older car and, dare I say it, for me the best looking of the series is the DB4. I've only driven the DB5, also no power steering, and it was lovely. It had good brakes and a fine snickerty-clickerty gear change well matched to the pedal weights and positioning; you could get the tail out with confidence even on a slightly damp track. So maybe your test DB6 does need a bit of fettling. That speedo may be just down to torque build-up in the cable and some lubrication might be all it needs. Checking the routing can also help. But if I was choosing I'd go for the DB4; it's not as capable as the 6 but who drives these every day now, and they all sound magnificent!
I agree I love the DB4.
I’ve drooled over the DB6 since I saw a pristine red one parked in Plymouth as a child and almost lost my family, who walked on without noticing I had been rooted to the spot. I agree the styling is more harmonious than the 5, which to my eye has less elegant rear graphics than the 4, 4GT and 6. I seem to recall criticisms at the time of its weight, ponderous handling and old-school mechanical spec. But it’s still utterly gorgeous. Thanks for giving us a taste. Great review.
Congratulations on 100,000 subs. Richly deserved
When I visited London in 1983 and stayed in Hampstead Heath, several examples of DB6 and DBS were parked just alongside the road - they were just used cars, imagine that! I am privileged thaving had the chance to drive two examples in my life. The first was in 2001, I hired it from Bespokes in Watford for four days. I could write a book about all the things I experienced with the car doing my personal road movie between Windsor and Brighton then. It helped me survive a hard time in my life. It's not comfortable or fast to modern standards (i drove the automatic version), but this throaty, but never obstrusively noisy sound, the whole appearance - it's in my heart forever
My 6 had the Vantage engine and an HBE Handling kit, both of which make a massive difference!!
Jack! I always felt like I was pariah for liking the DB6 better than the DB5. Especially being a Bond fan. It's nice to see that I'm not totally out of my mind. And I agree, the Kamm tail is so much more pleasing visually. The 5's rear looks a old-fashioned in comparison. Awesome video, keep up the great work!
Hello Jack, that AM DB6 is one of the cars that turned me into an Automobile lover in my teenage years. Its the kind of car that awakens my soul when I just sit in it a while and enjoy the cockpit ambience and the aroma of the leather . For the last 35 years I have had the habit of turning on the lights in my Garage and just looking at and enjoying the presence of my "special" car before bedtime. Once I know its safe and cozy in the Garage I can sleep well. I would most definitely do that with a DB6 if I had one. Its so beautiful. [WITH the bumpers on]. I do hope you can find the V/8 model that you mentioned. Very nice video and you look like 007 James Bonds twin in the DB6!
That is nice. I prefer the back of the DB5 myself, I know they aren't fins but the rear light enclosure thing just looks cool.
Good vid, dude.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!!
This is one of those cars that makes a man go corrrrr, its utterly beautiful, but to hear your description of its drive over its better known brother was really enlightening. Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed it
Agree with you on preferring the DB6!
Such a legendary engine, the reason David Brown purchased Lagonda was to obtain such a wonderful piece of engineering!
I have loved, worked on, and owned Astons for many years. I'm an AMOC curator at the San Francisco Auto Show, so we have a lineup of DB Astons to compare and contrast- but most importantly: enjoy. The DB4 has its charm and place in Aston lore, and looks smaller when parked immediately next to a DB5, which, in turn, looks slightly smaller when parked next to a DB6. The car that makes all 3 of these look old fashioned next to it is the sleek DBS. That is the car that I set upon to restore for myself and fall in love with, and she is also a Bond car. Driven all of them, and the DB6 is the best driver between the 4,5, and 6. Looks are really a subjective thing, and being a Boomer, the DB5 will always make my heart jump. The DB6 also suffered from the imposed taxes placed upon luxury cars in 1966 by the Crown, so that is another reason why many went unsold. Again, if you look at the Earl's Court Motor Show stand in 1969, you'll see that the DB6 did not age well when next to the new DBS. Love them all, wish I would have purchased one sooner, but that is life...
Also, to work on a DB4 means pinched knuckles. Very difficult to install and engine or do a clutch job, especially the overdrive models. The DBS seems like a camper van to move my hands around in the engine bay! All of these cars are hand made and difficult to work on, and they are all a joy, however, the DBS is relatively scar free for me.
The DB 4, 5 and 6 are three of the most beautiful cars ever designed. They are also expensive cars to own, very expensive to restore and any of them would be slower than a Fiesta ST in the real world, but that's irrelevant. Was at Salon Prive last week and had the pleasure of seeing about 10 DB's on show. They are blue chip investments.
Absolutely agree, I prefer the DB6 (with bumpers though).
The next bond in the series "You Only Live Twice" (1967) took two years to come to our screens, and was mostly set in the far east, it featured the Toyota 2000 GT (hurriedly chopped for the film)
By the time of the following "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) The DBS had become the latest Aston and the DB6 never had the chance to become a Bond car.
A DB6 did appear in a deleted scene in "The Italian Job (1969)
1971 DB6 mk.2 Vantage Coupe, 1990 V8 Zagato Vantage Coupe, 1990 V8 Vantage 580-X pack
would be my perfect Aston garage.
Congrats on jumping over the 100k subscribers Jack!!! Well deserved!!! Great video as always!! I love this car.
Thanks chap!!
Stunning car, I agree with you that it is a better looking car than the DB5.
Doesn't the owner know, they carefully suspended the bumpers , from factory roof ,and then built the car around them .. Chrome bumpers are pure class.
I was still a boy growing up in the mid sixties when this came out. I remember the disappointment when Car & Driver magazine didn't like it. I remember particularly the road test stating that the noise level on the inside was simply unacceptable for a modern car, particularly a GT aspirant. Like all boys I loved the DB5 Bond car, but I still like the vent windows and the Kammback design of this one. We never got the Mark 2 DB6 here in the US with the wider fenders.
My Dad had a DB6 and it was fantastic. I drove it once.
Jaguar we’re initially asked to supply a couple of E types for Goldfinger. Can you believe they said no!! To my eyes the etype is prettier, albeit for us shorter folk 😀
I’ve heard the story about people asking for Aston’s at cost price and them being more expensive, but I believe it may have been Victor Gauntlett hosting a visit of potential buyers later on in Aston’s history rather than the DB6.
Oh how I wish I had an Aston for you to feature on the channel, Jack. We would both be happy people!
People loved the sleek DB5 over the DB6 simply because it just looked faster particularly when stationary.
When Aston Martin was good !😢 What great cars...Cheers from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Great video as a 17 year old in 1976 the local village garage had a DB6 for sale at £1050 got an insurance quote £1800 third party only only earned £2100 per annum so sadly the one that got away 😭😭
Excellent video thank you.
The DB-5 is replicated by Aston and the price is in excess Of 4 M I think.
I like the enhancements of the DB-6 and it’s plain to me that it’s a better choice at a more reasonable cost if well preserved and sorted. Also to the untrained eye it’s the same as the popular Bond version.
I prefer the db5 and love the rear lights,this is my dream car.When I was a kid living in fulham a neighbour lower down had two of them.one.Both silver and one was a convertible with a navy top.used to help wash them and then I got my corgi version watched the films and fell in love.❤
I wonder what Paul McCartney would have to say -- according to the interwebs, he had both a DB5 and a DB6. It sounds like it was one of the "I've arrived" cars of the Swinging Sixties in the UK!
Oh yes. The DB6 is indeed a much better looking car. A million years ago in another life, I photographed the current King Charles the t’ûrd next to his DB6 at a Smith’s Lawn polo match. The keys were left in the ignition, and it was guarded all day by a local Windsor bobby - back when there was still such a thing.
Excellent video mate. Thank you for sharing.
Peace
With the gearboxes of that era I found that when selecting first gear at rest I would select second gear then into first. It seemed to help.
Jack this is an excellent and really high quality video! As a Bond geek I’m ready to admit that the DB5 is outshone by its replacement!
As with all Astons, its a beautiful design. But for me, I'd want the bumpers on - it's not a track car and it makes it look, particularly from the rear, like an unfinished project.
I have to agree with you on the styling. Also just love that engine note.
Your program is one of the best on classic cars on the Internet. I really like you also drive the not 'Greatest Cars Ever'. Come to think of it, Number 27 IS the best!
By the way, what does 'Number 27' mean?
Lovely to look at, but:
Mine leaked like a pig, no a/c and it misted up like a good un! The variable rate suspension had a lovely little rotary switch on the dash, which seemed to do nothing whatsoever, and it got raced away from the lights by an MGC!
It also had the words "superleggere" in chrome on the bonnet, Aston attempt at humour since it weighed not much less than a Challenger 2!
Mine was not the "vantage" but the standard 3 carb model, and it proved surprisingly reliable, biggest problem was the electric windows ( in fact I've still got the little winder you could plug in at the bottom of the door when the motor ceased to co-operate)in fact I believe it's still going strong after nearly 60 years!
Any news on PLN334E would be gratefully received, a car of great character, like all the earlier Astons.
A friend has one and compared to my 911 from the same era, they are certainly not sports cars but are very sporting cars. They have a sense of occasion.
I'd rather take a DB6 as dark as looks are concerned. And I have to say that driving a DB6 Vantage was one of the greatest driving experiences I've had. And that SOUND !!!
What a channel. Perfect viewing.
Yeah there is a cult like following of the DB5, and, I DO appreciate that it is indeed a beautiful and capable car in its own right. But for me, the DB6 (as you say) just has that extra finesse and the shape, I just love it. If it was me though, I WOULD spend the time to fill in those bumper mount holes (and paint match) just to 'Finish it off' more.. WHAT A CAR! 👌😎🇬🇧
What a distinct note they had. Still love the DB5 since I was a 6 yo, 63 yo now. 😻
Great as always Jack ! DB6 for me too.
Glorious……. mellifluous straight six with “enough”…….. I’m with you in preferring the DB6
Never thought of the range as anything but a gentleman’s GT…….. dealt with a lovely silver Auto some years back…….. bliss 🇬🇧🙂
Lovely vid, thank you 👍 Huge congratulations on 100k Subs. Well done! 🎉🥳🥳🎉
Simply gorgeous! Thank you for driving some cars that I never will Jack.
Never been much of a fan of the early Aston's but I must agree that the cam back on the 6 is much more attractive than the 5. I do think the longer quarter lights had a smoother line and better transition into the body. Find the alignment of the headlight in the opening on this model odd, like it's too short and trying to peer over the top of a fence. Thanks again for sharing Jack.
Lovely video of a great car and my preferred Aston. Unfortunately even one in reasonable condition goes for 100K+. So a car to dream about but out of the reach of most!
DB4 GT will always be the sweet spot.
Great review of a tremendous machine. Perhaps we shouldn’t forget the DB4! Thanks.
Great video as always Jack. All the best Vint-tro.
Beautiful stunning car and the perfect colour, but like pretty much all classics I prefer looking at them than driving them lol .
All the variations of the DB's are beautiful
DB4 Zagato is the lay down masere in my book.
Thanks for reviewing beautiful cars like these!
David Brown made tractors too! We had two on the farm and his name on the side of the hood! A long time ago but i do remember it like yesterday. They never had a problem at all.
Thanks, and to me a gorgeous looking car from any angle.
3:48 Looks like the restoration budget ran out so he couldn't get the bumpers rechromed🤔... I mean, why else would anyone claim it looked better without the bumpers?!
While watching this, I can't stop picturing those Sean Connery scenes in the Bond movies
Lovely to see you appreciate an Aston, Jack. You have only one character flaw, and that is the lack of mindless, slack-jawed admiration of everything with the angular wings on it. 😅 I am rendered helpless by everything since and including the DB9.
Also, thanks for calling him "Prince Charles". That's what he is and always will be.
🤣🤣🤣. Yes a bit of a slip on Charles.. force of habit!
@@Number27 But he was Prince when he got the car, and he was Prince in that picture .... 🙂
I think the DB6 is a better car. I like the Kamm tail and it works too. Perhaps body coloured rubber inserts for the bumper holes, but it does change the looks of the car. Or perhaps a Sebring treatment like the MGB. Very rare in Australia.
Can't dispute the DB6's looks, interior and charm - really wonderful. However it has the handling dynamics of a truck, not helped in this case by the non-assisted steering.
Nice review Jack, really enjoyed this one
I've never been smitten by the looks of old Astons. They lacked the sleek, tautness of their Italian counterparts. The DB 5 looks okay to me, and I certainly don't think it's ugly, but it's not beautiful either.
But I do like the DB6 bodywork. It's smoother and more flowy looking, and to me, it's just a cleaner, more coherent design.
This is another good subject for a video, and has piqued my interest, as these older Astons aren't generally on my radar. You've made another interesting video, Jack.
Seeing them side by side, the DB6 feels much bigger than a DB5 and especially an E Type. I do agree that the Kamm back is a lovely thing.
Paul McCartney owned both the DB5 and DB6 in the 60s, somebody needs to talk to him about his car collection! He wrote "Hey Jude" in his DB6, which is definitely a "tick" for that model 😃
When I was living in London back around 2009, my wife took some appliance to be refurbished in Chalk Farm and who was going into Wagamama to have dinner? David Walliams & Matt Lucas! David Walliams might still have his DB6, but I only asked for a photo of the guys, not the DB6!!
Here in Switzerland, there's a showroom near our town, and it had an Aston Martin V8 Vantage but it seems to have been sold over Xmas....Aston Workshop in Beamish have one, so does Graham Hunt and Runnymede Thames Valley have a nice looking Red one also. I am a closet classic Aston Martin fan!
Maybe you can get a chance to drive a viewers car, of course...
Blessings to you, Jack!
I never quite understood how the British seem to separate the DB5 and DB6 as if they were two totally different cars, while in reality they share 99% of their DNA. It’s as if someone tried to say that the Ferrari 308 is Soooo different from the 328 that one is valued half the other, and not dignified to appear next to the other… honestly I love both DB5 and DB6 and if I could get my hands on either one on my budget, I would!
To me the Aston Martins of the Sixties wer probably the loveliest vehicles that were ever produced the the UK.
I LOVE them. For me Aston Martin was the British equivalent to Maserati, the Iso Grifo and some other great GTs and the only non Italian car that was in this league. Never again cars were that beautiful. Better, could be but not as much fun!
If you park her under my carport I won't complain at all !
Always loved that quirqy DB6 , classic front and Kamm tail mix nicely to me .
And.........don't forghet that Tadek Marek inline 6 . ❤
Awesome car. Keep up the good work.
My father's business partner bought a DB6 new in period in a beautiful metallic violet finish, which you rarely see; however, I can remember that the paintwork faded very badly on one of the wings, which was unforgivable on a hand-built car and one that cost twice the price of a Jaguar E-Type.