Aston Martin DB4
"Driving an Aston Martin is like wearing a Savile Row suit; it just feels right." – James May
First unveiled at the 1958 London Motor Show, the DB4 marked a new era for Aston Martin, setting a benchmark for elegance and performance in the grand tourer segment. The body was designed by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, with their Superleggera construction, the lightweight tubular framework overlaid with hand-formed aluminum panels.
The DB4’s distinctive front grille, affectionately known as the "egg crate" air intake, became a defining feature of Aston Martin’s designs. In fact, the design of the DB4 would become the starting point for the design of the similar DB5 and DB6.
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Under the hood of the DB4 lies a 3,670cc DOHC inline six-cylinder engine producing 266 horsepower, designed by Tadek Marek. Paired with a 4-speed manual gearbox with overdrive, the DB4 delivers a versatile driving experience. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in approximately nine seconds, and reaches a top speed exceeding 220 km/h, without sacrificing comfort for long-distance travel.
It was the first production car capable of accelerating to 160 km/h from still and breaking until stationary again in under 30 seconds.
Equipped with double-wishbone front suspension and a live rear axle with coil springs, the DB4 is smooth to handle and practical. All four wheels are fit with disc brakes, and the lightweight Superleggera construction makes the car agile in cornering.
The "Special Series" (SS) designation referred to a rare factory upgrade that could be applied to the DB4 for higher performance. This option featured higher compression ratios over the standard engine, but did not constitute a separate model or production variant.
Aston Martin DB4
Paint color Caribbean Blue Pearl
Interiors Dark Blue Connolly Leather
Fully matching-number
Factory upgraded to ‘SS’ configuration
Extremely rare color combination – only 11 DB4 Series III built
Unique configuration customized for Oei Tjong Tjay
Rare and factory original overdrive
Impressive documentation and history files
This DB4, manufactured in 1961, was custom commissioned by the Chinese-Indonesian Oei Tjong Tjay, the son of Asia's richest man at the time, and it was specifically configured to his request with several features. Soon after it was purchased, upon request of Oei Tjong Tjay, Aston Martin enhanced the car with factory Special Series engine upgrades.
The list of optionals includes an engine oil cooler, Marchal front fog lamps, indicator side repeaters to both front wings, electric windows, chrome wheels, a heated rear window, an oil temperature gauge, pockets at the back of front seats, yellow headlamp bulbs, a loudspeaker wired behind the back seats, and the rare overdrive gearbox.
Nicknamed the "Man of 200 Million," Tjay wanted a car that expressed his family’s status and personal taste. His family’s wealth came from the sugar industry, which his father revolutionized, creating one of the largest conglomerates in the region. The business operated through the whole sugar value chain and across several sectors, including sugar production, trading, shipping, banking, and plantations, and had a significant presence in Southeast Asia and beyond.