Today, I Drive an Aston Martin DB6. Join Me For Some Classic Aston Action!

I know that it's always the DB5 which is the eye of many's affection when it comes to old Aston Martins. But in many ways the DB6 was the better car - superior aerodynamics, more room inside and a more refined product.
Even these now command serious money, so most get hidden away in collections - but not this one. It's used, driven and enjoyed by owner Andrew - who runs Petrolheads Welcome, a new site for car friendly and accessible venues here: www.petrolheadswelcome.com/
Want to see your car on the channel? Email me on [e-mail]
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[@petrolheadswelcome6434]

It's actually 20 years and 60,000 miles, but who's counting? 😉

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Evidently not me lol

[@sparky4878]

Petrolheads Welcome , Signed up to your site. Had a nosey what’s near me that I may have missed. Saw you have Ponderosa listed. (Edit) thought it hadn’t reopened, been by before and it was closed but seems is open for takeaway now. Nice drive out there for a cuppa.

[@petrolheadswelcome6434]

@@sparky4878 Thank you Sparky. Feel free to rate/comment on their listing on our site (and any others that you know) and of course recommend places we don't yet know about. Cheers, A.

[@Bod8998]

Petrolheads Welcome had a peruse and signed up

[@petrolheadswelcome6434]

@@Bod8998 Thank you. Hope you find it useful for getting the most out of using your car. Please feel free to recommend any places you've stayed that we should add. Cheers, A.

[@babyblu8900]

This is what 'motoring' was all about in the day, not just blasting 0-62 in xx seconds

[@edmundscycles1]

20 seconds? Hehe I think it could do it quicker than that hehe . 😜 just kidding .

[@lambroschudley9984]

My dad had a banana yellow DB6 Mark 2 with a burgundy interior. I loved being taken to school in it and going down to our house in Devon for the weekend. Listening to the Carpenters and Simon and Garfunkel on the eight track. Halcyon days of 6 - 11 years old. I tried to track it down about twenty years ago when they were still reasonable priced but could not afford to buy it now. I still have the priceless memories though. I love your reviews and their honesty, thank you. Lambros!

[@christopherwhitehead8946]

In a day when all you tubers seem OBSESSED with the exhaust sound of their BMWs, AUDI’s, and whatever car they’re sitting in, this Aston Martin DB6 has a proper, proper sound. Listen and learn boys.

[@john1703]

or a XK Jaguar or a 250F - straight sixes with 3 into 1 twin exhausts.

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

Reminds me of reading classic car magazines back in the 80s. At some point one of the contributors was overtaken by a spiritedly driven DB5 (or 6) so when it pulled in to a petrol station shortly he did follow to have a chat with the driver. He was a bit surprised to find that the driver was a little old lady in her 80s who had the car from new.

[@martinboulden3540]

Class and a gorgeous colour.

[@rare6499]

Incredible car 🤤 You can keep your supercars, this is my sort of supercar!!

[@pj9375]

The Aston's Db5 or 6 are like Hurricanes. Beauties and more GT. The E-type (S1) is the Spitfire. Drive one James.... You'll love it!

[@andyknight7285]

My Grandfather always drove Astons , his last was a DB6 mk2 which he left me in his will when he died in 1972 . I was only 9 yrs old . Unfortunately My old man got his hands on it and wrecked it by 1978 . Only one word for this " Gutted" . Such a wonderfull motor car to travel around in .

[@gkstanfield]

My first Aston was a DB6- bright red, black interior, friction drive and about 1:18 scale...I loved it, and I still suspect my loving Mother binned it! By memory alone I always felt badly that 007 had to get on with an old DB5...whilst I had the new DB6 to play with on the living room carpet...imagining the worldwide villains I could suppress next..! I loved the DB6 more because I had one and James Bond didn’t! God...Childhood was WONDERFUL!

[@byronmills5952]

These could be bought for 5-6 k back in the late eighties........The Db6 is quite a different beast to the Db5 due to its non Superleggara construction which whilst most of its mechanical underpinnings are shared - it's improved structural rigidity and aerodynamics over the Db5 make it a far better car in reality. Great review and looks fabulous in its Dubonet Rosso.

[@kevincooke3882]

byronmills I know. In the nineties, they were in their mid twenties. I was also in y mid twenties and should have bought one, or a v8. Kicking myself now.

[@byronmills5952]

@@kevincooke3882 I know - I passed on a tatty but Mot'd 1970 DBS for £800 quid in 1985 and then was offered and again passed on a 1967 Silver Birch Db6 two years later for 5k.....oh to go back in time!!

[@duckpuddles]

It was only the roof that changed from tubes to fabricated steel plate which gave the extra rigidity. All the early cars still carried the Superleggera badges until they ran out. With the Volante compared to the DB5 convertible there was no difference at all and very little extra weight. 17 lbs is quoted

[@curmudgeon1933]

As a 17 year-old, working at the Mettoy factory, where they made the James Bond Corgi toy, we were visited by the model designer. He'd been gifted a DB6 by Aston Martin, in recognition of the sales boost the toy gave to the real cars. It was a beautiful silver one with black interior, if I remember right. Naturally, all us oiks went outside to drool all over it. lol

[@FontedaPipaPortugueseFarmLife]

Love it!!, my dad had one when i was young then he bought a DB5 superlegger that was mint, he had it aston martin "works" i remember pinching it before i had a license roof down, i put it back before damaging it😂. when he sold it the lady owner from Jaguar bought it for 88,000 pounds in the eighties, she found out the first ever owner was Tony Hancock from the TV. Later when i had a bodyshop doing many classic restorations he bought the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, i did a full restoration on this and even Aston Complimented me on the paintwork as was even the original make of paint. This V8 was hand built for the Earls court motor show and had every extra going........... Aston Martins, real ones not these naff new pieces of junk are in my heart

[@herbertwilliams1608]

Dear Friend, This is the car that Jay Leno loves. His videos on the Jenson hybrid, the glorious piece on Bristol, his love of French and Italian works are from the heart. And his treasuring of American classics from Baker, Cord, Dusies, Hornets to Lincolns and Chryslers are pieces of our history. Enjoy the ride. HBW

[@adamradford9441]

Astons Golden Age! The 4/5/6. All lovely cars but the 6 was the pinnacle. Lovely to drive, fast and could carry 4 adults. A dream. And because so few were built they've become some of the worlds most collectable cars. Beautiful.

[@MikeWaldt]

I have to say it did my heart good to see your genuine surprise and total enjoyment of driving this iconic car.

[@ginge82]

Once had a client who was searching for his ultimate DB5. Aston Martin Works managed to convince him to go with the DB6 instead where so many of the issues had been fixed/improved.

[@Santos.Sarmento]

The pinnacle of the David Brown period and penultimate generation before the decay of Aston Martin.

[@MilitaryHistory2011]

Most people on the planet could only dream of this opportunity.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I am very lucky

[@sparky4878]

Got the feeling he rather liked that car. That’s what driving should do, put a smile on your face. Don’t have to be going super fast, as seems the fixation with the current bhp wars, to enjoy the sensation and experience.

[@duckpuddles]

The power steering on a DB6 is a very good system, with just the right feel. The heft of the DB6 at 1480kg is not a lot compared with DB9 at 1785kg and the DB6 has far more room in the back. This becomes apparent when you ask a friend and his wife if they would like to go out for a pub meal. With the DB9 you would need to be apologising all the time to the wives in the back in a place designed for kids.

[@GM-fh5jp]

Delicious. The sound and the interior are driver heaven. It's a proper Aston Martin.

[@jamespink4202]

Fabulous Aston with a gorgeous restoration. Love the attention to detail in the engine bay. Beautiful lusty exhaust note too!

[@petrolheadswelcome6434]

Thank you for taking the trouble to say so, James. Cheers, A.

[@thewatchman1078]

Bucket list stuff, loved every moment if this.

[@flyingbananatree5661]

Great to see you so genuinely enjoying that :) Made me smile.

[@martinbernard1052]

Brilliant stuff. Thanks

[@sirmurf]

I love the sheer pleasure you take in a good car. Keep it up.

[@martinlaver007]

Such a well put together video. Well done J. Lovely car too.

[@The_Original_Geoff_B]

What an absolute beauty - and so glad it gets used as intended :)

[@emanuell5926]

Beautiful report Sir, thank you so much for posting

[@Carrera-gp9od]

This is the nicest car I’ve seen you drive It’s sounds superb too Gorgeous!

[@NELLY9000]

Another great video Susan.

[@atomicdave1987]

Beautiful car and fantastic video James!

[@symontabbenor2186]

I have seen many of your reviews but this is the first time you are really enthusiastic about a car. And what a car !

[@JURASSICDIVERUK]

Simply mind blowing!

[@edwardtiangco1445]

That car suits you my friend.. it really does.. love this episode. Smiles per gallon this beautiful machine.

[@duckpuddles]

One of the other oft repeated quotes, is that the DB6 is a much heavier car than the DB5 when the figure in the book is 17 lbs. Another one is that they abandoned Superleggera bodywork but all they changed was the roof being supported by fabricated steel rather than tubes. You can still find the tubes in the boot. The Volante is built in exactly the same way as a DB5 Convertible. The only extra weight might be the small amount of steel and aluminium in the 3.75 inch increase in wheelbase and the power hood mechanism.

[@nagaraworkshop]

I worked for an Aston specialist in the 80s for a few years and my step-dad had a DB5 (sold for £8k! ) so I've driven all the early DB cars a lot. The DB5 and and DB6 were very, very different to drive: the DB5 was beautifully balanced and quick too in vantage form - they handled beautifully. But the DB6 never really drove as well, I don't know why; perhaps it's the little bit of added weight, the different distribution, the slightly different rear suspension... anyway, the chuckability just wasn't there. BTW the family DB5 was tuned up a bit to a genuine 310 bhp and did 170 mph flat out and 0-100 in 11 seconds and with the selectarides on their stiffest setting in handled really well - if in a very old-fashioned way by modern standards.

[@goosegog]

The only real difference between the 5 and 6 is the longer wheelbase. I have found the biggest influencing factor between the way they handle is tyre choice. Lots of the DB6s had Avon 205R15 tyres fitted which made them handle like a blancmange, no better than on crossplys. These days on decent Avon CR6ZZ tyres, with a decent amount of power and telescopic damper conversion, the DB6 is a cracking car.

[@andrewf.]

@@goosegog Hi Fergus, I've driven it on Avon Turbospeed Cross Plys (it used to want to go in straight lines) and Michelin and Avon radials (it then wanted to go round bends) in the last 20 years. I've loved it all ways, but it handles pretty well enough now for my limited (on road) driving skill.

[@duckpuddles]

@@andrewf. I am lucky enough to have acquired three. Two manual with standard engines and power steering and one Volante with a strange combination of auto box and manual steering. They all drive in a completely different way and you cannot really make a conclusion until you have driven about ten. Tyres are a big factor. The first DB6 had Avon Turbospeed crossply tyres and you could drift very gently in the dry at 30 mph on a sharp bend. The other manual car steers in a different way, cannot quite explain it but as has been stated since everything is so adjustable and variable, perhaps the castor and camber settings are different. So three completely different drives leaving you with a difficult conclusion.!

[@andrewf.]

@@duckpuddles Thank you. Having only owned one and barely driven any others I have nothing to compare. I think mine's pretty good... or at least good enough for me.😉

[@simoncunningham492]

@@goosegog I’ve just bought an aquamarine DB6 and I still can’t actually believe that I own it.

[@TheLEMRR]

Much appreciate the review, Jay!

[@peterjohndormor8173]

A brilliant review from you. One of the best I would say. Please keep the wonderful content flowing and stay safe in these difficult times.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks Peter, doing my best!

[@mr.hernandezdrives]

awesome upload sir, while it may not be a looker, this Aston does have character and style and while you may envy the owner i envy you driving it. Enjoying the channel 👍

[@mcspooney]

old jags and Astons were some of the only old cars ive driven what stop......... and don't worry they all feel similar........the mk2 is still one of my fave cars to this date and a retromodded one would be a dream project for me. they all have that bewildering drive with that burble only carburettors provide..... what a joy it must of been to live through the sixties and seventies driving the old beasts.

[@Simon-ui6db]

That is GORGEOUS!!

[@sexytasmin]

Lovely car James - Thank you.

[@theliberatorszen2916]

This is the best video that Jay has done yet! 🇬🇧👍

[@robertl2856]

One of your best reviews thanks

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Glad you liked it!

[@disturbed250]

I prefer this to the DB5, just because I like the flick at the back...and I had a toy one when I was a kid haha. And thank you to the owner letting you give it some.... and driving the thing like it should be driven!

[@user-qq2mo1ek2r]

Hats off to Andrew and for using the DB6 for what it was designed for. You Jay, are a very lucky man getting a chance to drive such a stunningly beautiful car from a bygone time. Such a style icon of the time and like most Astons, before it and since it, sumptuously gorgeous to look at.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I am lucky indeed

[@andrewf.]

Thanks J. As I said to Geoff below, it's both a pleasure and an honour to use it so.

[@TheEarlofK]

My father and his business partner were looking to buy new cars, having done reasonably well, in 1968. They visited an Aston Martin dealer, but my father found the dealer to be too snooty by half, even proffering him money for the cups of coffee they had drunk as he left. However, his business partner bought an Aston DB6, which I distinctly remember was a metallic violet colour, in fact it was so distinctive, I've only seen another one since. Unfortunately, the paintwork did peel, which for a handmade car costing £4,000 (a huge sum at the time at the time), was not very impressive, even if the overall car was. My father went on to buy a primrose yellow Jaguar E-Type 2+2, for half the money, with which he was very happy.

[@tim1polman]

Very good choice on those mirrors. If you hadn't said anything, i'd have thought they were stock. Lovely car, really nice sounding too. Wish you'd see them around more.

[@andrewmoorhouse687]

Glorious. Always had a soft spot for these. I’m sure we had a model of one of these when we were kids; Corgi? The colour is fabulous. Really suits the car. A quick look at Petrolheads suggest £200-300k for a DB6. Add £100k to that if you want the Vantage. Contrast that with DB5s at £600k to £1.2m and suddenly they’re the bargain of the century. Great that Andrew loves the car and it’s not about it’s value. Love to see you drive the V8 or a DBS. Those were the stuff of dreams when I was a kid, ever since I had a V8 Vantage drive past me in the street one day. What a noise!

[@oscarvonstapelmohr5180]

a very nice enlivening and inspirational video

[@leebuckles2364]

What an amazing car and love the fact it driven

[@WHOMEWHOYOU]

You are one Lucky Dude Jay, thanks for letting me ride along with you, loved it !

[@benday1218]

I was fortunate enough to do a couple of laps of Goodwood in ESH 399 (DB4) about a decade ago, I still remember it well! Fantastic cars.

[@jordanmcclurkin2657]

Would do a great many things to have the privilege to acquire that vehicle. It is stunning and that colour is wonderful!

[@petergouldbourn2312]

Great video. Thanks. 🇬🇧

[@garage90uk]

Nice to see one that is not silver. Gives it a warmer look.

[@nlumby]

...nice bit of driving up by Priddy on the back road from Bristol to Wells in Somerset! ...know it well

[@allosaurusfragilis7782]

Lovely noise when revved. Piece of history

[@jackburtonstwin]

What an absolutely awesome car and a testament to the efforts of its owner. The roads will be a duller place if or when cars like this vanish into air conditioned lock ups, never to see the light of day other than for auctioning.

[@arkhsm]

The smile says it all !!

[@lewis72]

10:00 X Pack was, I think, the performance mods. that went on the 432 bhp V8 Vantage Zagato put back on the V8 Vantage (exhaust, cams, carbs).

[@davidphillips7255]

I think it's a truly beautiful car (but I'm old). I've driven a British sports car of that vintage so it's easy to imagine what it must be like, only better. Machinery that is secretly good is a special pleasure. It was fun to see your revelation.

[@ChristianRThomas]

I have to say it looks absolutely gorgeous.

[@i5xrv221]

At 12:00 you give all the meaning to something we say here " men's never getting old, the only think changes through the years is the value of their toys

[@paulking54]

Good job J!!! Like how objective you are. Always thought the db4,5,6 were classics but never got me really excited looks wise but that interior looks amazing. What pieces of art the Astons are. Original v8 vantage , all the way.

[@markchip1]

As beautiful as the 5, 6, 7 and early 9s are, I too, find the lines of the William Towne's V8s from the eighties are just savagely gorgeous - the original "brute-in-a-suit", especially the Vantage/X-pack versions! Although it might be heresy to say this, I've always found their lines as comparably muscular and intimidating as the American "Bullitt" Mustang fastback! That blanked off grille on the Vantage was especially like a starched dress shirt and a dinner suit, whereas the Mustang has its ripped t-shirt! Both look like they could, and would, beat the living snot out of anyone who insulted them!! The Aston does have far more class and breeding than its American yob-sibling!

[@MrVantage8]

Absolutely nailed it, brother...

[@adamradford9441]

Mark Chippendale, of course it was deigned originally as the 1967 DBS. And developed from there, once the V8 was fitted in 1969. Both the DBS & V8 we're lovely cars.

[@rogerwennstrom6677]

Fully agreed! To me the Aston Martin very neatly took the 60's Mustang shape, refined it for its purposes and kept it going through the 80's, in a period when Mustangs didn't really look like Mustangs anymore. Really love it! Only thing I can think of that I'm not that fond of is the rear lights.

[@johnnyboy1586]

Yes it was the gentleman's mustang 🐎😁

[@Carrera-gp9od]

Me too , I reckon the 80s vantage is my favourite car of all time . You can get them converted to 6.3 or even 7 lite too , that reminds me I must get my lottery numbers on tonight 😂

[@richardgroves9891]

Awesome my Grandad had a DB6 and my mum used to drive it at 17!

[@martinclapton2724]

Got to be one of the best looking cars of all time. Reminds me of pushing my corgi model James Bond DB5 along the carpet when I was a tot in the 1960s .

[@Leonidae]

Not going to lie, that sound gave me the fizz.

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Of course it did, that's only natural

[@aboyandhisdog]

That is the closest I will ever come to driving an Aston, or probably even seeing one. Thanks for that, James! Man, I love the black gauges on the black dash - great look!

[@thedetailingdoctor5746]

Love the wacky races line in there !! Legend

[@caymanblack9567]

That's bloody lovely.

[@jamesspragg1968]

Beautiful car

[@stephencurran5429]

It looks absolutely gorgeous in burgundy such I nice change from all those silver ones

[@eeclass20]

Pretty sure I spotted this car on the M6 heading north through Lancashire last year, after all how many burgundy DB6's are there in the UK! A lovely thing, one of those rare designs which looks good from every single angle.

[@powersliding]

that colour is amazing

[@rogerhudson9732]

The sound is much more refined than many (most?) cars on the channel, I like the shape, the Kamm tail and all. I realy like the mirrors, so many cars are let down by cr*p mirrors, the Lotus Elise + family in particular.

[@sevesellors2831]

Beautiful car I think Paul McCartney had a dark blue example and loved it.

[@benistingray6097]

His voice pitches higher than normaly, i think he was hyped ;)

[@adamcassey7920]

I would absolutely love a green db6 🙏

[@MrAbowker]

About 15 years ago I was lucky enough to drive both the Jaguar E type and the DB6 Vantage on the same day round a race track. I have to admit as a Jaguar owner and fan - the Aston Martin DB6 was the better driving car.

[@2702simmo]

Love that video What a car

[@DjDolHaus86]

10:00 X Pac was a WWF wrestler who was hired to live inside the boot of your V8 Vantage and perform his signature move (X-Factor) on any parking wardens silly enough to threaten you with a ticket

[@RapideWombaticus]

Just lovely

[@mikenorris5378]

The owner is a legend.

[@andrewf.]

Hi Mike, how kind of you to say so... although 'leg end' may be more appropriate, ha ha. Cars like these deserve to be driven, eh? No garage queens thank you! Cheers, A.

[@SamB-wh2bi]

With all these wonderful Astons being featured it calls to mind the lack of coverage on the 90s Virage currently. It would be fantastic to see one of those taken for an actual review

[@JayEmmOnCars]

I'd love to do that too but it's incredibly hard to find them!

[@SamB-wh2bi]

@@JayEmmOnCars I will remain crossing my fingers until one appears. Top review again Jay thanks for the great content

[@Silentwitness1978]

You can see genuine love there ha ha...

[@logtothebase2]

The engine sound it really sweet something of a Merlin about it, mixed in with that slight overtone 60's mechanical wine. Compared to modern sythesied V8 fakery is streets ahead.

[@ianmulley2013]

What a beautiful car I love that colour

[@stuartsmith5308]

Lovely colour. Good to hear, it is a wonderful car to drive. I would choose the mk.2 over the mk.1, i think the lipped arches make the car look even better.

[@garrydavis3475]

Must say probably one of your best reviews yet nice 👍

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Thanks Garry

[@garrydavis3475]

JayEmm on Cars thank you 🙏 sir for great content

[@grahamnutt8958]

When you DON'T want to give the keys back - that says it all 👍😆👍

[@GadgetMart]

That’s a beauty!

[@the8419]

Beautiful car!

[@richardcarter1000]

Great vid. Love the car. Should try a sorted E type. Had my S1 over 20 years. Like my F355. A keeper. Very special and still a great gt.

[@paulkane9863]

What a fantastic car.

[@sellsidedream8766]

Nice car. I have a 1965 Ferrari 330GT 2+2 It occupies a similar space

[@mpersad]

What a beauty!