Aston Martin V8
1969-1989 · Aston Martin V8 — Grand Tourer, V8, designed by William Towns.
The Story
The Aston Martin V8 was the company’s hand-built backbone for two decades. Born as the DBS V8 in 1969 and renamed simply ‘V8′ in 1972, it wrapped William Towns’ muscular body around Tadek Marek’s 5.3-litre V8 – a brawny, ~300 bhp British GT built almost entirely by hand (around 1,200 man-hours each).
It ran through five series to 1989, spawned the brutal V8 Vantage and the V8 Volante, and became James Bond’s car in The Living Daylights (1987, Timothy Dalton), bristling with Q-branch skis, spiked tyres, a laser and a rocket booster. Just over 4,000 were built.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
William Towns
English designer who joined Aston in 1966 and shaped the DBS (1967), the long-running V8, and the radical wedge Lagonda (1976) and Bulldog concept. Also designed microcars (Minissima/Hustler). Source: Wikipedia.
Studio Motors POV
The hand-built heart of 1970s-80s Aston – a brawny, charismatic GT with a real Bond pedigree. Buy a fuel-injected manual and enjoy a proper old-school Aston.
The Engine
Aston Martin V8 (4.3-4.7 NA)
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About V8
Worth Knowing About the V8
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1. It's the James Bond car in The Living Daylights (1987) – fitted with outrigger skis, spiked tyres, a laser and a rocket booster.
- 2. Each one took roughly 1,200 hours to build by hand – true coachbuilt construction.
- 3. It began as the DBS V8 (1969) before being renamed simply 'V8' in 1972, and ran for two decades.
5 Fast Facts
- 1. 1969-1989; ~4,000+ built (all series).
- 2. 5.3 V8 (~300-310 bhp; carb then fuel-injected).
- 3. Designed by William Towns; hand-built at Newport Pagnell.
- 4. Spawned the V8 Vantage (1977) and V8 Volante.
- 5. Bond car: The Living Daylights (1987).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
James Bond’s car in The Living Daylights (1987, Timothy Dalton). No individual private celebrity owner verified.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Series and spec matter hugely – fuel-injected ‘Oscar India’ (1978+) cars and manuals are desirable; the V8 Vantage and Zagato are separate, hotter models. Check the hand-built body for corrosion and the V8 for fuelling/cooling. Long undervalued, now climbing.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Aston Martin V8
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 1969-1989
- Units built
- 4,021 (all V8-series saloons/Volante, hand-built)
- Variants
- AM V8 (1972); Series 2-5; V8 Volante; V8 Saloon
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V8
- Engine family
- Aston Martin V8 (4.3-4.7 NA)
- Displacement
- 5,340 cc (5.3L) V8
- Power
- 305 hp
- Torque
- 320 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 6 s
- Top speed
- 150 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 177 hp/tonne · 12.5 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed ZF manual (3-speed Chrysler auto optional)
- Drivetrain
- RWD (front engine) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3807 lb
Questions
V8 FAQ
Is the Aston Martin V8 the Bond car from The Living Daylights?
Yes. The Aston Martin V8 — comprising a V8 Volante at the opening and V8 Saloons for the main action — served as James Bond’s car in The Living Daylights (1987), driven by Timothy Dalton. Q Branch fitted the car with outrigger skis, retractable spiked tyres, a laser, missiles, and a rocket booster for the film’s Austrian Alps sequence.
How long did it take to build an Aston Martin V8?
Each Aston Martin V8 required approximately 1,200 man-hours to assemble by hand at Newport Pagnell, far exceeding the build time of any mass-produced rival. Skilled craftsmen formed and fitted every panel and component individually — a true coachbuilt process that continued unchanged from the 1969 DBS V8 through to the final 1989 cars.
How long was the Aston Martin V8 in production?
The Aston Martin V8 was in production for 20 years — born as the DBS V8 in 1969, renamed simply ‘V8’ in 1972, and built through five series until 1989. Approximately 4,021 V8-series cars were built across saloon and Volante body styles at Newport Pagnell, making it the most numerous hand-built Aston Martin of its era.
What is an Aston Martin V8 worth today?
Aston Martin V8 examples (1969-1989) trade for approximately $70,000-$180,000 in 2025. Fuel-injected ‘Oscar India’ cars (from 1978) and manual-gearbox examples are the most sought-after; the rarer V8 Vantage and V8 Zagato derivatives trade at significantly higher levels.
Can you finance an Aston Martin V8?
Yes. The Aston Martin V8 trades actively as a hand-built 1970s-80s classic and is well-served by specialist classic-car lenders.
The Aston Martin Lineup
Explore every Aston Martin
DB4 GT Zagato ’60DB5 ’63DB6 ’65DBS (1967) ’67V8 ’69
Lagonda ’76V8 Vantage (1977) ’77
V8 Vantage (Supercharged) ’93DB7 ’94DB7 Vantage ’99
V12 Vanquish ’01DB9 ’04V8 Vantage (2005) ’05DBS (2007) ’07V12 Vantage (2009) ’09One-77 ’09
Rapide ’10Vanquish (2012) ’12V12 Zagato ’12V12 Vantage GT12 ’15DB11 ’16Vanquish Zagato ’16Vantage ’18DBS Superleggera ’18
DBX ’20Valkyrie ’21V12 Speedster ’21V12 Vantage (2022) ’22Valour ’23Vanquish (2024) ’24Valiant ’24Valhalla ’25
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