Launched at the 1958 Paris Motor Show, the DB4 ushered in an exciting new era for Aston Martin. It would also serve as the basis for the competition-oriented DB4 GT, developed under racing manager John Wyer to create a GT-class customer car capable of defeating Ferrari’s 250 GT Tour de France. Based on the DP199 prototype – victorious in its debut at Silverstone with Stirling Moss – the production DB4 GT premiered at the London Motor Show in 1959, the same year as Aston Martin’s legendary 1-2 finish at Le Mans and its World Sportscar Championship title.

The DB4 GT was shorter, lighter, and more powerful than the standard DB4. It featured thinner 18-gauge aluminum-alloy body panels, a wheelbase shortened by nearly five inches, and, in most cases, the removal of rear seats – contributing to a 200-pound weight reduction.

Its Tadek Marek-designed 3.7-liter aluminum-block DOHC engine featured twin-plug ignition, a higher 9:1 compression ratio, and three Weber 45 DCOE carburetors. Factory-rated at 302 hp at 6,000 rpm, the DB4 GT delivered impressive performance. Girling four-wheel disc brakes with a dual-circuit system – shared with Aston Martin’s Works sports racers – ensured stopping power to match.

Visually, the DB4 GT was distinguished by its Perspex-covered headlamps, lightweight rear and quarter windows, frameless side glass, and deleted bumper overriders. Twin quick-release fuel fillers, an extended-range fuel tank, and alloyrimmed Borrani wire wheels completed its competition-focused specification. And yet, in typical Aston Martin fashion, the cockpit was handsomely appointed with Wilton wool carpeting and Connolly leather covered the lightweight seats.

Raced from 1959 by both the Aston Martin Works team and John Ogier’s Essex Racing Stable, DB4 GTs were driven by many of the era’s greatest talents – including Stirling Moss, Roy Salvadori, Jim Clark, and Innes Ireland. In a telling episode at the 1959 Bahamas Speed Week, when Moss’s intended car failed to arrive, a freshly delivered DB4 GT was “borrowed” from a customer and driven to victory by the champion.

As Aston Martin’s answer to the Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France, the DB4 GT would soon face a new rival in the 250 GT SWB – an arms race that continued with the introduction of the DB4 GT Zagato and ultimately the Ferrari 250 GTO. Aston Martin built just 75 DB4 GTs between 1959 and 1962, plus 20 Zagato-bodied examples and a single Bertone-bodied special. Of the 75 standard cars, 45 were built in right-hand drive and 30 in left-hand drive for export.

This car, chassis DB4GT/0154/L, is one of those rare left-hand-drive examples, and it boasts exceptional provenance. Delivered new to one of the most influential figures in European motor sports, it went on to enjoy a rich history in racing, rallying, and hill climbs under long-term Swiss ownership.

According to factory records, 0154/L was completed in June 1961, finished in the elegant color scheme of Goodwood Green over Red Connolly leather. The build sheet notes Dunlop RS5 tires, a 3.54:1 rear axle, and a Powr-Lok limited-slip differential. The car was shipped to Garage Hubert Patthey in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and delivered new to Georges Filipinetti.

Based in Geneva, Filipinetti was a towering figure in mid-century motor sports, best known for founding Scuderia Filipinetti in 1961. His team became one of the most successful privateer operations in Europe, competing at Le Mans, Spa, Sebring, and even in Formula 1. He supported top Swiss talent – including Jo Siffert, Herbert Müller, Heinz Schiller, Dieter Spoerry, and Rico Steinemann – and was known for always fielding the most competitive cars.

Filipinetti retained the DB4 GT through the end of 1961, driving it approximately 3,800 km before trading it back to Garage Patthey. In February 1962, it was sold to its second owner, Dr. Gwen E. Reichen of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Soon after acquisition, Dr. Reichen sent the Aston Martin to Newport Pagnell, where it was prepared for competition with shorter gearing and a Bosch brake servo.

By year’s end, 0154/L had accrued an additional 10,000 km through road and competition use. According to various sources, the DB4 GT was entered in multiple hill climbs – including St. Ursanne-Les Rangiers, Mitholz-Kandersteg, and Rochefort-La Tourney – as well as slaloms at Dübendorf and Payerne. Several period photographs of the car in action are featured in The Aston Martin DB4GT by Stephen Archer and Richard A. Candee.

Throughout the 1960s, Dr. Reichen was a regular competitor in the European Rally Championship with various cars. In October 1964, he and co-driver Michelle Vouga entered the DB4 GT in the Swiss round of the ERC, the Rallye de Genève, organized by the Automobile Club de Suisse. Period coverage reports that the Aston Martin was involved in an accident during the multi-day event, prompting a replacement front body section to be ordered from the factory. In November, Garage Patthey repaired the car, repainted it blue, and fitted upgraded valve springs sourced from Oskar Ruegg of Pfäffikon – a noted spring maker and DB4 GT owner himself.

Dr. Reichen retained the car into the 1990s, regularly driving it for over three decades. By that time, the odometer showed nearly 100,000 km. During this period, respected Swiss specialist Roos Engineering overhauled the engine, gearbox, and rear axle. In the early 2000s, Garage Eyra of Le Locle carried out additional restoration work, returning the car to its original road-going specification.

In 2010, 0154/L was displayed at Rétromobile and sold via Gregor Fisken to Constantin von Dziembowski. The car was sent to the UK and treated to a sympathetic restoration by Marksdanes Restorations Ltd. around 2012. Since 2016, the Aston Martin has been kept in two significant American collections and benefits from meticulous care and maintenance.

Today, 0154/L presents as the quintessential gentleman’s GT, finished in striking Goodwood Green over green leather. It retains its matching-numbers engine and is accompanied by an original DB4 GT instruction manual, period event plaques from Dr. Reichen’s racing years, recent service records, and a copy of the factory build sheet.

One of only 29 surviving factory left-hand-drive DB4 GTs, with superb provenance, documented competition history, and a well-documented chain of ownership, 0154/L is a DB4 GT of extraordinary pedigree and appeal. These purpose-built machines represent the pinnacle of the DB4 series and rank among the most coveted dual-purpose GTs of the era, alongside Ferrari’s 250 GT SWB Berlinetta and Jaguar’s Lightweight E-Type.

Offered here is a rare opportunity to acquire a truly significant Aston Martin – delivered new to a motor sports legend, raced in period, and preserved through six decades with care and distinction. It is a car worthy of any collection and an ideal entry to the world’s most exclusive historic events.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled as 0154L.