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Aston Martin DB4 GT Continuation Put To The Test At Millbrook Proving Ground

Aston Martin is the kind of brand built on many things. One of those things is motorsport, and boy does the British automaker have that in spades. The DBR1 is the most celebrated racecar that wears the beguiling winged badge thanks to its outright victory at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, but the DB4 GT isn’t too far behind.
Aston Martin DB4 GT Continuation prototype 9 photos
Photo: Aston Martin
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Introduced in 1959 and built until 1963, the DB4 GT spawned 75 examples Zagato-bodied conversions and the one-off Bertone Jet. Inspired by Jaguar’s continuation series of the Lightweight E-Type, Aston Martin follows suit with a limited-run DB4 GT Continuation model, which will spawn 25 units.

Announced in December 2016, the DB4 GT Continuation will be ready for delivery by the end of 2017. At the present moment, Aston Martin is trialing the first prototype of the rejuvenated oldtimer in places such as the Millbrook Proving Ground, the site where James Bond rolled his DBS in Casino Royale.

Built to lightweight specification by Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell, the DB4 GT Continuation uses a tubular frame wrapped in thin-gauge aluminum panels. In keeping with the original, the newcomer uses a 3.7-liter straight-six benefitting from all-new castings supplied by the company that makes the 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 found in the DB11. Connected to a four-speed manual and a limited-slip diff, the I6 plant boasts 340 horsepower.

A track-only special, the DB4 GT Continuation will be fitted with all the race-ready bits and bobs one would expect from one of Aston Martin’s most illustrious competition models. Although high-quality, the spartan interior is crucial to the model’s low curb weight. According to Aston Martin, the DB4 GT Continuation will tip the scales at 2,706 pounds (1,227 kilograms) including the motorsport-spec roll cage, fire extinguisher, and the safety belts.

The estimated starting price sits at £1.5 million (approx. $1.9 million), and wouldn't you know, all 25 continuation models have been spoken for.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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