$47,513
(inc. Buyer’s Premium)
The Aston Martin V8 saloon is a likeable GT offering which took over from the near-excellent DBS and made it even better. This 1976 example looks like a good one, although not without its slight imperfections. This fine V8 presents a chance to own an Aston Martin that looked fast, felt equally quick from behind the wheel, and most importantly, never lacked the kind of appeal that's prerequisite for an Aston Martin to have.
The 70s brought in a lot of changes for Aston Martin as a brand. From David Brown selling it, going into administration, to being brought to life by its new owner, there was a lot going on behind the scenes at Aston Martin. But amidst all this, it also brought out a substantial update to the DBS in the form of the AMV8, a car also designed by DBS's designer and powered by a V8, that would enable Aston Martin to keep its GT customers happy pretty much till the beginning of the 90s.
The 70s brought in a lot of changes for Aston Martin as a brand. From David Brown selling it, going into administration, to being brought to life by its new owner, there was a lot going on behind the scenes at Aston Martin. But amidst all this, it also brought out a substantial update to the DBS in the form of the AMV8, a car also designed by DBS's designer and powered by a V8, that would enable Aston Martin to keep its GT customers happy pretty much till the beginning of the 90s.
Listed on The Market is a 1976 Aston Martin V8 bearing chassis number 11609. Manufactured in December 1976, the car has done just under 82k miles. Its engine comes with a plaque with the name of the person who built it — a tradition Aston Martin followed in the later years of the AMV8. The car looks to be in good shape, although it does have some paint imperfections and some rust can be spotted. The attached photo gallery below will give you a clear picture.
With the AMV8, Aston Martin continued with the same overall shape (and mechanicals) as the DBS that came before it. The update was made even better with the designer William Towns further future-proofing the car's styling. The twin headlamp setup makes it look undeniably more muscular, doesn't it — and so does the rather prominent hood scoop. While there doesn't appear to be major damage (or any) on the bodywork, this AMV8 does have some small paint imperfections, scratches, and signs of use.
The AMV8 was positioned as a GT, which means it had to have good space on the inside and a usable boot. The cabin also needed to be up to Aston Martin's high standards, so that even after hours of high-speed motoring, the one in the driver's seat (or even the passenger) wouldn't be stressed or too tired for the evening gala dinner they were to attend. Beautifully crafted, the dashboard isn't too busy, and the leather interior just complements the simplicity with heightened levels of luxury.
The 1976 example looks nearly pristine, with a possibility that it's been worked on in the past. The remarkably clean look extends to the center console, door cards, roof lining, and even the carpet. The rear bench looks good, although the leather on the front seats does appear to be sagging.
As Aston Martin transitioned from the DBS to the AMV8, they carried forward the excellent V8 engine (from the DBS V8) along with the fastback shape, among other things. Gearbox choices included a 5-speed manual and a 3-speed automatic. While not the lightest, the AMV8 was praised for its handling. The car had better sound insulation than before, which would've further made its GT credentials even stronger. This example's age is evident from some of the panels, and the sighting of rust underneath — like the bonnet. Otherwise, it appears to be in okay shape.
Aston Martin launched the AMV8 to replace the DBS in the early 70s. This happened as the brand was moved from under David Brown's ownership to Company Developments. The 70s continued with ups and downs for the British carmaker, but the AMV8 line continued strongly — the Oscar India version was brought out, along with the Vantage and Volante convertible. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage was on sale till the thick end of the 80s, which is when it was replaced by the Virage.
The Aston Martin V8 saloon is a likeable GT offering which took over from the near-excellent DBS and made it even better. This 1976 example looks like a good one, although not without its slight imperfections. This fine V8 presents a chance to own an Aston Martin that looked fast, felt equally quick from behind the wheel, and most importantly, never lacked the kind of appeal that's prerequisite for an Aston Martin to have.
