1968 Aston Martin DBS

Highlights

• 1968 DBS with factory-fitted air conditioning, power steering, and ZF five-speed manual gearbox
• With one registered keeper for 45 years, from 1980 to 2025
• Largely original survivor, accompanied by factory build sheet and MOT certificates dating back to the 1970s
• Sympathetic recommissioning recently completed, including carburettor rebuild and brake and clutch overhaul
• Sold by an Aston Martin bodywork specialist

The Appeal

William Towns' striking design for the DBS completely changed the modern perception of Aston Martin for much of the general public. Towns' ambitious handiwork replaced the flowing curves of the DB6 with a more muscular, modern silhouette, while the sophisticated chassis - featuring independent suspension all round, a De Dion rear axle, and Watts linkage - delivered a level of refinement and composure that set new standards for the British grand tourer. Powered by the proven 4.0-litre Tadek Marek straight-six shared with the DB6, the six-cylinder DBS is increasingly appreciated in its own right as a wonderfully capable and elegant machine, and fine examples are keenly sought.

This 1968 car presents a genuinely compelling opportunity. Sold new on 2nd December 1968 and UK-registered throughout its life, it spent 45 unbroken years - from 1980 to 2025 - in the care of a single registered keeper in South London, dry-stored in a private garage and driven only occasionally. The factory build sheet confirms its original specification, along with factory-fitted air conditioning, power steering, and a ZF five-speed manual gearbox. Impressive levels of luxury in '68!

Since changing hands in December 2025, the DBS has undergone a thorough recommissioning at the hands of its current custodian, an Aston Martin bodywork specialist. All fluids have been replaced, the carburettors rebuilt, the braking and clutch systems overhauled, and consumables renewed throughout. On the road, we're told it drives well, with strong oil pressure, smooth starting, and responsive braking.

With its documented history, largely original condition, and recent mechanical recommissioning, this DBS is well suited either for continued sympathetic road use or as the foundation for a restoration to the highest standards.
The vendor adds:
"There’s something especially compelling about an unrestored Aston Martin—one that still tells its story through every panel, surface, and mile travelled. This 1968 Aston Martin DBS is exactly that: a rare, low-mileage survivor, presented in beautifully original condition.
Finished in its factory-correct Platinum White over Ambassador Blue leather, the car has covered just 29,000 miles from new. It remains an honest example of late-1960s Aston Martin craftsmanship, largely unchanged from the day it left Newport Pagnell.
This is not a restored car, nor is it pretending to be. Instead, it offers something far rarer: authenticity.
For collectors who value originality over perfection, this Aston Martin DBS presents a unique opportunity. Whether preserved as a reference example or gently improved over time, it stands as a genuine piece of Aston Martin history. "

History and Paperwork

• UK-registered RHD car, first registered in 1968
• Originally sold new on 2nd December 1968 to a buyer in Cyprus, delivered with a KPH speedometer for the Greek market
• With one registered keeper from June 1980 to December 2025, stored in South London
• Current keeper since December 2025
• Factory build sheet present, confirming Platinum White exterior, Ambassador Blue interior, and DBS ZF Saloon specification
• MOT certificates dating back to the 1970s, supporting the recorded mileage

The vendor adds:
"Delivered new on 2nd December 1968 to Mr. Constantine A. Syngrassides of Nicosia, Cyprus, the car is reputed to have been purchased for his British partner to travel between Cyprus and the UK—a wonderfully fitting origin story for a grand tourer.
The remarkably low mileage is supported by MOT certificates dating back to the 1970s."

The Condition

• Platinum White exterior over Ambassador Blue leather interior, matching the factory build sheet
• Dry-stored in a private garage for the majority of its life
• Bodywork presents well with only gentle signs of use
• Brightwork presents well against the Platinum White paintwork
• The vendor describes the underbody as clean and solid
• Engine bay and interior described by the vendor as in fair condition
• The vendor describes the body shell as structurally well-preserved
• Original Ambassador Blue leather cabin with no significant rips or tears noted to the seats
• Instruments are clear and easy to read
• The vendor reports very little cabin noise or rattles
• A crack is present in the rear window; replacement glass is included

With its muscular, long-nosed stance, the DBS is a very characterful eye upon the traditional Aston formula. The sharp lines and almost Mustang-adjacent styling must have felt almost futuristic compared to its predecessors, and even today it feels sharp and charismatic.
The bodywork here is in fine order, with only gentle signs of use, and the brightwork contrasts nicely. We can't spot any dents or dings, and the vendor reports that the underside is clean and solid.
With a highly original cabin in an Ambassador Blue leather trim, it's an excellent survivor - we can't spot any significant rips or tears to the seats, the instruments are clear and easy-to-read and the dashboard itself is particularly handsome.
The vendor adds:
"This DBS is best described as a true survivor.
The body shell is a particular highlight—structurally excellent and notably well preserved, something that will not be lost on marque enthusiasts. Originality at this level is increasingly hard to find, and the integrity of the shell alone represents significant value."

The Mechanics

• 3,995cc straight-six petrol engine
• Five-speed manual ZF gearbox
• Factory-fitted power steering and air conditioning
• Independent suspension all round with De Dion rear axle and Watts linkage
• Sympathetic recommissioning completed since December 2025
• Engine oil, gearbox oil, differential oil, coolant, and brake fluid replaced
• Spark plugs, fuel and air filters, drive belts, fan belts, steering gaiters, and track rod ends renewed
• Front brake hoses replaced, discs skimmed, front calliper pistons and seals renewed
• Clutch master and slave cylinders and associated hose replaced
• Carburettors rebuilt with new kits
• The vendor reports the car drives well, with strong oil pressure, smooth starting, and responsive braking

Spirited in performance and powered by a Tadek Marek-designed straight-six powerplant, everything under the bonnet of the DBS is a work in sophistication.
Everything about this car has been sympathetically recommissioned, maintaining the car's impressive character. The vendor reports that the car drives incredibly well, with a strong oil pressure, smooth starting and responsive breaks - the car that Aston Martin intended, ready and waiting for a lucky new driver to get behind the wheel.
The vendor adds:
"Following its long period of storage, the car has been carefully recommissioned to make it usable and enjoyable. The car now starts readily, runs smoothly, and drives with the composure you would expect from a low-mileage example."

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