Classic Driver (Enlarge photo)

22/06/2008 06:28. ...were DB4 designer Harold Beach’s words when the company’s owner, David Brown, gave his new car the seal of approval. Beach was at Newport Pagnell today, 21st June 2008, to see many examples of his timeless creation celebrate its birthday.

The Aston Martin DB4 was a stunning motor car when shown at the London Motor Show in 1958. Powered by an all-new, all-aluminium, 3670cc straight-six designed by Tadek Marek , the Touring of Milan -styled generous 2+2 was not only one of the fastest, most desirable cars in the world - it was expensive, an Aston Martin , and British too.

Watch out Ferrari and Maserati , at last there was a non-Italian, big-capacity, 140mph competitor for the international jet-set.

The new car wasn’t without its foibles: the alloy engine took some development to... // Classic Driver