Aston Martin V8

Manufacturer	Aston Martin
Production	1972 to 1989
Produced	4,021 built (incl. Vantage & Volante)
Assembly	Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
Class	Grand tourer
Body style	2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Engine	5.3 L V8
Transmission	3-speed automatic ZF 5-speed manual all-synchromesh
Wheelbase	2,610 mm (102.8 in)
Length	4,585 mm (180.5 in)
Width	1,830 mm (72.0 in)
Height	1,330 mm (52.4 in)
Curb weight	1,820 kg (4,000 lb)(approx)

The Aston Martin V8  Series 2 to series 5 is a two-door coupé automobile manufactured in the United Kingdom from 1972 to 1989. As with all traditional Aston Martins, it was entirely handbuilt – with each car requiring 1,200 manhours to finish.

History

Aston Martin's customers had been clamouring for an eight-cylinder car for years, so Aston Martin designed a larger two-door saloon for V8 applications. The engine was not ready, however, so in 1967 the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. Two years later, Tadek Marek's V8 was ready, and Aston released the DBS V8. With the demise of the straight-six Vantage in 1973, the DBS V8, now restyled and called simply the Aston Martin V8, became the company's mainstream car for nearly two decades. It was retired in favour of the Virage in 1989.The coupé featured 2 doors; 4 seats, separate front seats, reclining backrests, headrests; adjustable two-position clutch, brake and accelerator pedals; leather upholstery; heated,air-condirear window; electrically-controlled windows.

AM V8 (Series 2)

The V8 became known as the AM V8. Visual differences included twin quartz headlights and a mesh grille, a front design which was to last until the end of production in 1989. AM V8 cars, produced from 1972 through July 1973, used a similar engine to the DBS V8, albeit with Bosch fuel injection rather than the earlier carburetors. Just 288 Series 2 cars were built.

Series 3

The car switched back to Weber carburetors for the Series 3 in 1973, ostensibly to help the car pass new stricter emissions standards in California but most likely because Aston Martin was unable to make the Bosch fuel injection system work correctly. These cars are distinguished by a taller hood scoop to accommodate four twin-choke (two-barrel) Weber carbs. The car produced 310 hp (231 kW; 314 PS) and could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 6.1 seconds with an automatic transmission or 5.7 with a manual. Performance suffered with emissions regulations, falling to 288 hp (215 kW; 292 PS) in 1976. The next year, a more powerful "Stage 1" engine with new camshafts and exhaust brought it up to 305 hp (227 kW; 309 PS).

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
Chrysler-Torqueflite automatic transmission, hydraulic torque converter and planetary gears
with 3 ratios (1 2.450, 2 1.450, 3 1, rev 2.200), axle ratio; sunshine roof; electrically-controlled headlamp wiper:washers

PERFORMANCE Series 3
max engine rpm: 6.000:
max speeds (1) 47 mph, 75 km/h; (2)77 mph, 124 km/h; (3) 112 mph, 180 km/h; (4) 136 mph, 219; (5) 160 mph, 257 km/h
acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 14 sec, 0-50 mph (0-80 km/h) 4.5 sec
Fuel consumption: 15 m/imp gal. 12.5 m/US gal, 18.8 1 x 100 km.

Production of Series 3 cars lasted from 1973 through October 1978, but was halted for all of 1975. 967 examples were produced in this time. While earlier V8 cars have louvers cut into the little panel mounted beneath the rear windshield, the Series 3 and later cars instead have a small lip at the bottom of this panel, just ahead of the leading edge of the bootlid.

Series 4 ("Oscar India")

The "Oscar India" specification was introduced in October 1978 at the Birmingham International Motor Show. Visually, the former scoop on the bonnet gave way to a closed "power bulge", while a spoiler was integrated into the tail. Most Oscar India cars were equipped with a Chrysler "Torqueflite" three-speed automatic transmission, with wood trim fitted for the first time since the DB2/4 of the 1950s. Just 352 Oscar India models were built from 1978 through 1985. The power of the now de-smogged engines kept dropping on American market cars, down to a low of 245 hp (183 kW) in the early eighties.

Series 5

The fuel-injected Series 5 cars were introduced in 1986 at the New York International Auto Show. The compact Weber/Marelli system no longer needed the space of the previous carburetors, so the bonnet bulge was virtually eliminated. 405 Series 5 cars were built before production ceased in 1989.

James Bond

James Bond drives a series 4 model "B549 WUU" in the 1987 film, The Living Daylights (the first of the two films starring Timothy Dalton). However, the film caused some confusion for viewers (even those quite familiar with Aston Martin models of that era). At the beginning of the film, the car is a V8 Volante (convertible). The actual car used in these scenes was a V8 Volante owned by Aston Martin Lagonda chairman, Victor Gauntlett. Later, the car is seen being fitted with a hardtop ("winterised") at Q Branch. However, later scenes actually feature a pair of V8 saloons with the same number plate as the Volante seen in the beginning of the movie, retrofitted with other "optional extras" such as spiked tyres, skis, lasers, and missiles. Clearly, the car was intended to be seen as a V8 Volante with hardtop.