1965 ASTON MARTIN DB6 Volante 4.0L 5MT (286 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Lighter than its coupe brother, the Aston Martin DB6 Volante was one of the first convertible GT cars built by the British car-maker. It was built in only 140 units and 29 of them were the high-output Vantage.

As the DB5 range model started to fade, Aston Martin decided to build a new car. The first proposal came from Touring of Milan coachbuilder, but it was rejected as not being enough “Aston Martin”. Soon after, the design team started working on the new DB6. In 1965 the final touches were made after wind-tunnel testing and the car was launched. The early coupe versions were based on the extended chassis of the DB5. The idea was to make a true 2+2 GT.

The DB6 Volante was launched at the 1966 London Motor Show and it replaced the Short Chassis Volante, also known as the DB5. Its longer wheelbase allowed better access inside the car due to the longer doors. The canvas top featured a window in the rear, but not on the sides, leaving a big blind spot. But it was meant to be driven most of the time with the canvas top stowed down. Its power-roof was able to be retracted or installed while the car had the ignition in the accessories position and the handbrake was on.

Inside, the Aston Martin installed luxury features such as wood panels and leather upholstery. The dashboard featured a large speedometer, a tachometer, oil temperature, oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel gauge, voltmeter, and an electric clock.

The drivetrain was the same with the DB6 coupe, a straight-six 4.0-liter engine mated to a standard 5-speed manual. A 3-speed auto was offered as an option.