The Aston Martin DB6 was introduced at the London Motor Show in October 1965 as the successor to the famed DB5, and it is considered by many to be one of the finest grand tourers ever produced. It was boosted along by a powerful four-liter, twin-cam, inline six-cylinder engine with an aluminum alloy block, seven main bearings, and a deep-breathing cross-flow head, as dreamed up by brilliant engineer Tadek Marek, making it a genuine 140-mph automobile. It could also carry four adults comfortably in improved seats set on its stretched 101.5-inch wheelbase chassis. A 22-gallon fuel tank offered decent mileage for high-speed travel, while Armstrong Selectaride rear shock absorbers could be adjusted from the driver’s seat, compensating for the weight of the rear-seat passengers.

Styling bore a familial resemblance to the DB5, with the aerodynamic, competition-style covered headlights, but the DB6 had a taller roofline and a less steeply raked windshield, improving occupant headroom. A distinctive squared-off Kammback tail with an upswept spoiler lip was not unlike that of its rival, the Ferrari 275 GTB/4, and it reduced rear lift while also improving high-speed handling. A broad air scoop on the hood and a pair of air vents on the front fenders added to the rakish image.

The car on offer is a right-hand-drive DB6 Mark I that was originally registered with license plates JRS 390 in Aberdeen, Scotland, just before the North Sea oil discoveries attracted many Americans to the city. While little is known of its early history, it is thought to have been brought to the U.S. by an American working in the area, most likely also in the oil industry. It was later discovered in Pennsylvania and then painstakingly restored by Mike Gassman, of Waynesboro, Virginia, just three years ago. He found the DB6 to be exceptionally sound still with its original grille. The odometer displays 93,513 miles, which are commensurate with the condition of the car and believed to be original. Gassman stripped the body to bare metal and repainted it in the correct Oyster Shell Grey, replicated in collaboration with Aston Martin expert Kevin Kay. The restoration was well documented, for which photos are available on file. Gassman reports that the panel fit is exceptional, that the body was laser straight and had never been hit, and that he had merely repaired minor rust in one fender.

Mechanically, the brakes were overhauled, new wheels and tires were fitted, and knock-off splines were replaced. The fuel system was serviced, and the car was extensively tuned to run perfectly. All gauges were removed and rebuilt, and the headliner was replaced, though the seats remain original and delightfully worn in but not worn out. The chrome was re-plated and cloisonné badges replaced. This Aston Martin is described as mechanically “on the button,” as it was restored for a good friend who wanted to drive it regularly.

For continental touring in high style, there is still no better choice than this swift, lovingly patinated “gentleman’s express.”