Aston Martin. The name alone conjures up images of spies, well-dressed Europeans at fine gatherings, record-setting race wins and a company history nearly as dynamic as the cars themselves. Competing against highly established British stalwarts, Aston Martin had to deliver not only performance and elegance, they had to offer a unique motoring presence unlike anything else at the time. Such daring arrived when the charismatic and dapper David Brown took the helm, preparing to go head-to-head with Jaguar. Brown immediately arranged for the purchase of Lagonda, specifically for the use of the sophisticated 2.6-liter, twin-cam, inline-6 designed by the master himself—W.O. Bentley.
The DB2 arrived with great fanfare, but Aston Martin quickly realized that many of its customers required accommodating family needs. Thus emerged the DB2/4 Saloon, offering two rear jump seats, more rear luggage space (primarily due to the drop down rear seats), and the distinctive rear “hatch.” All this, including chassis upgrades, made the new model DB2/4 Saloon capable of carrying luggage and two passengers rather comfortably at high speeds. Upon its release, The Motor magazine boasted, “The DB2/4 can truthfully claim to be the fastest car in the world capable of carrying two people with a month’s luggage.” Today, this might seem unremarkable, but at the time, this was a totally new package. The 2.6-liter VB6E engine with 125 bhp (Vantage tune) evolved early in 1954 to the 2.9-liter 140 bhp VB6J engine, capable of achieving 100 mph in third gear with around a 120 mph top speed. These numbers were impressive indeed, considering this car was also capable of reliable street use without much of the fussiness one might find in other prestigious cars of the period. Of course, all this came with fantastic handling and a bespoke interior trimmed in fine leather and burled walnut. Between 1953 and 1955, just 451 DB2/4 Saloons were assembled at the DB works factory, while the earliest hand-crafted aluminum bodies were under the direction of Mulliner and later Tickford.
