Debuting at first the Paris and then London Motor Shows of 1958, the Aston Martin DB4 was a world class high-performance GT.

Some four years in the making, its gestation was overseen by the marque's Technical Director John Wyer.

Working alongside Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, Harold Beech developed a robust sheet-steel platform chassis which could accommodate the Italian coachbuilder's 'Superleggera' or 'Super Light' method of body construction (whereby hand beaten aluminium alloy panels are fitted over a cage-like structure of small-diameter support tubes).

Equipped with independent coil and wishbone front suspension, a Watts linkage located 'live' rear axle and four-wheel disc brakes, the model was powered by a new all-alloy DOHC straight-six engine.

Displacing 3670cc thanks to its 'square' bore and stroke dimensions (92mm x 92mm), the sophisticated powerplant was designed by Tadek Merak.

Interestingly, the Polish-born engineer is thought to have fought Wyer's wishes for a more ...