Aston Martin DB4

Everybody knows the Aston Martin DB5. James Bond’s effortlessly cool grand tourer has come to represent the epitome of British car design—sleek, dignified, and confident. But fewer people know its predecessor, the DB4, on which the DB5 was heavily based. The DB4 race car seen here is a particularly fine example, and the subtle styling differences between it and the DB5 give the DB4 a more aggressive vibe than its legendary offspring.

The most noticeable difference between the DB4 and the DB5 is the headlights—the DB5’s units are enclosed in a glass dome whereas the DB4 features protruding circular headlamps. Because they lack the smooth, receding glass of the DB5’s units, the DB4’s headlights give the front fascia a more upright, stocky look. The race car version seen here is particularly muscular. Tape over the headlights—which is required at many vintage racing events to keep the glass from completely shattering in a crash and covering the track—lends the DB4 a purposeful, tactical appearance. 

Further adding to the Aston’s brawny demeanor are the two massive scoops, one sitting above and one lurking below the grille. The two intakes, combined with the wide frown of the classic Aston Martin grille, make the racing DB4 look like it wants to eat you. This is not a car you’d want to see looming in your rearview mirror around the track. 

Behind the bulging front fenders is an oval vent split by silver bar—an element that has become a staple of Aston’s design, appearing in a modernized form on the new DB11. The gleaming chrome side view mirrors act as a reminder of the race car’s noble Aston Martin origins. 

The DB4’s body panels feature no sharp creases, instead consisting of flowing, windswept curves that give the Aston Martin a floaty, elegant aura. This particular example’s simple lines are accentuated by the basic but classy livery—a green racing stripe runs the length of the car while yellow lipstick adorns the grille. 

While not as famous as its successor, the DB4—and especially this race car version—is just as beautiful, but with a hint of dynamic aggression that the more sophisticated DB5 lacks.

Grade

Front: A

Back: A-

Overall: A

Photos courtesy of James Harvey

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Chevrolet Corvette: Through The Years: Part 2

     1963 brought a brand new Corvette, dubbed the "Corvette Sting Ray," and with it a striking silhouette that has influenced every 'Vette since. The Chevy now featured a long hood and a hatchback-like rear with an almost nonexistent rear deck, and for the first time was offered in coupe form. This layout, as well as many visual cues, give the Sting Ray its iconic, streamlined, sporty appearance.
     Up front, hidden headlights and a low-set grille, along with the powerful, raised bodywork over the front wheels lend the car a sleek, high-performance look. Rectangular intakes on the hood and horizontal vents just behind the front wheels add to this hardcore sports car image. The crease at the beltline of the C2 makes it seem as if the car is slicing through the air in front of it, and creates an interesting contrast in light between the upper and lower halves of the car. While this is a great touch, it almost hides the intricate grille from view. The hook-shaped chrome bumpers give a sturdy look, and are set on a thin rectangular grille, with luxurious skinny horizontal bars. These are sandwiched by aerodynamic orange turning lamps. And despite all of this beautiful detailing, my favorite part of the front of the '63 is the raised streak running down the center of the hood into the windshield. For me, it completes the smooth, streamlined look, fitting in perfectly with the flared wheels arches and hidden headlamps. It also accentuates the iconic Corvette flags logo.
     Moving around back, the Sting Ray retains the sleek appearance of the front. Athletic rear haunches give a powerful look to the 'Vette, and they are complemented by the faux vents just behind the side windows. The double circular taillights and reappearing hook shaped chrome bumper pieces add elegance to the sports car. My favorite element from the front, the raised line on the hood, is continued on the back, through a strip running down the roof, and in between the famous split-window. The trim piece bisects the 'Vette logo, and ends at the bottom of the gorgeous V-shaped rear of the cabin. Overall, the '63 Corvette is absolutely beautiful, and Chevy obviously knew this, as the exterior changes over the next four years of production were minimal.
     In 1964, the split-window was famously replaced with a single piece rear window, and while I love the appearance of the split, this change does have a hugely detrimental effect on the elegant look. Also, up front the faux vents on the hood were removed, though indentations where they had been remained. This cleaned-up the hood, but again, this touch doesn't have a huge effect on the overall car.
     The next year, the indentations on the hood were also removed, and the vents behind the front wheels were changed. Instead of the previous horizontal arrangement, there were three vertical "gills," which fit in perfectly with the Sting Ray name. For 1966, the grille's horizontal's slats were replaced by horizontal and vertical lines crossing at right angles. Also, the small intakes behind the windows were removed. For its final production year, the three "gills" were replaced by five, and a reverse light was added above the license plate spot.
    For the second generation Corvette, Chevy wisely stuck to the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." This is one of the most beautiful cars of all time, and really symbolizes the beginning of the Corvette as we know it today.

Grade
Front: '63: A
'64: A
'65: A
'66: A
'67: A
Back: '63: A
'64: A-
'65: A-
'66: A-
'67: A-
Overall: '63: A
'64: A
'65: A
'66: A
'67: A

Ford Falcon Van

      I love vans. The large expansion of the van market in the U.S. has played a part, with the recent additions of the Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster and ProMaster City, and the Chevy City Express. But my fascination also stems from  the flat front vans of the 1960's, such as the Dodge A100. So I was extremely excited to come across a van I'd never heard of, the 1961-1967 Ford Falcon van.
       The van is  based on the Ford Falcon compact car yet it gets its own distinct look. The triangular grilles that house the headlights point inward and are a very quirky and creative way to allow airflow to the engine. The compact font of the word "Ford" cleverly reflects the squat silhouette of the car. (On the side and back the word "Falcon" is written in a stylish script.)
     The flat front, while not uncommon then, sticks out among today's traffic, and adds extra pizzazz. The side features a simple character line just above the door handles, and a funky inverted second window. Around back, the van is fairly basic, with normal barn doors and small circular taillights.
      Despite the van's many simplistic features, such as the taillights and headlight shape, there are enough bizarre and interesting design cues, like the headlight grilles, the badge font, and the second window, to make this van among my favorite designs.

Grade
Front: A
Back: B
Overall: A-