In 1958 Aston Martin introduced its DB4 model, the first of a line which culminated in the DB6 built between 1965 and 1969. A key factor in the success of the DB6's DB4 progenitor was general manager John Wyer's decision that the new car be styled in Italy, rather than by the works, and the commission was superbly executed by Touring of Milan. The platform chassis was the work of Aston Martin's chief engineer Harold Beach, while the new twin overhead camshaft engine had been conceived by his colleague, Tadek Marek, and race tested in the DBR2 before its production debut in the DB4. With the arrival of the DB5 in 1963, engine capacity was upped, by enlarging the bore from 92 to 96mm, from 3.7 to 4.0 litres and this power unit was carried over to the DB6 for 1966. Power output on triple SU carburettors was 282bhp, rising to 325bhp in Vantage specification on triple Webers. Borg-Warner automatic transmission was offered alongside the standard ZF five-speed manual gearbox, and for the firs