Aston Martin V8 Series 2 Photos, engines & full specs

In 1972, the British car manufacturer introduced the second series for its DBS, and since it dropped the inline-six powerplants and left only the V8s under its hoods, it also used a new moniker: the V8.

Grand touring cars were highly appreciated by those with deep pockets, for whom the oil crisis was not exactly a problem, at least not from the financial point of view. So pouring gallons of gasoline into a V8-powered GT was not an issue for them as long as that vehicle provided the pleasure of driving across continents. And that's exactly what this model was.

Sporting the same shape as its predecessors, as a fastback coupe, the 1973 V8 featured a new front fascia. Its mesh grille followed a more pronounced shell shape and was not as rectangular as before. But, undoubtedly, the most significant element that differentiated the Series 2 from the Series 1 was the hood scoop, which was tall and functional. At the back, the sloped-down greenhouse looked like it was a hatchback, but it wasn't; it was a three-box coupe.

Inside, the lavish cabin boasted leather bucket seats at the front and a bench seat for two in the back. While there was not exactly a four-passenger vehicle, it was considered a 2+2. Nevertheless, those seats could've been used as an additional storage area for long travels. The driver fronted a complex instrument panel filled with no less than four gauges for various information about the engine status. In addition, Aston Martin installed large dials for the speedometer and tachometer.

Since the old inline-six was dropped, the 5.3-liter V8 was the only option. It was fed by four double-barrel Weber carburetors that helped the powerplant produce over 300 hp. At that time, Aston Martin didn't state its official power output. Still, when fitted with a five-speed manual, the V8 could get from naught to sixty (0-97 kph) in less than six seconds, and a mere 0.3 seconds later for the versions fitted with a Chrysler three-speed auto.