Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


DBA unveils 'modern' DB5. Image by David Brown Automotive.

DBA unveils 'modern' DB5
New British car company reveals Speedback 'tribute' to Aston Martin's icon.
<< earlier article     later article >>

 


News homepage

Newer articles featuring 2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback

2014-08-02: Incoming: DBA Speedback

What's the news?

As confusing as this is, try and follow us - a Yorkshire man called David Brown, who is not related to the David Brown of Aston Martin fame, but who, like the man whose DB initials are on all Astons, comes from a background in agricultural machinery, is building a 'tribute' (not a replica) to the Aston Martin DB5, one of the most desirable cars in the world and a surviving example of which David Brown (the non-Aston one) already owns. And, like the 'real' Aston Martin DB7, the car's underpinnings are all Jaguar XK. Lost? We don't blame you.

However, we brought you news of a new British car company, David Brown Automotive (DBA), earlier this year, and further developments on what was codenamed 'Project Judi' as they came. Well, ahead of the official launch at the Top Marques show in Monaco, on April 17, DBA has pulled the wraps off its DB5 homage - the Speedback.

Exterior

Um... it looks a bit like a DB5. This is not a huge surprise, given the whole reason DBA came into being is that Brown wanted a car that looked like a classic but had none of said oldie's tendencies to throw regular mechanical hissy fits. It was styled by Alan Mobberley, a man whose cv includes stints with Land Rover, Humber and British Leyland (he's said to have been involved in the Marina...), and it is clearly very close to the original DB5, but not identical for obvious reasons. It's a pretty successful job, though, and doesn't look like some sort of kit car hash-up.

Perhaps the greatest factoid for fans of the original that aren't put off by a modern-day interpretation is that the Speedback's body is crafted in exactly the same way as the DB5's was - the alloy used is hand-rolled and hand-beaten.

Interior

As luxuriant and opulent as you might imagine it to be inside, there's no hiding the fact that the Jaguar XKR underpinnings shine through, as, despite the traditional 'bespoke' treatment given to the finish - a wood dash and wheel, plus lots of chrome - you can still see the Jag's central console and control screen, plus the familiar seat adjustment buttons on the door. It's very nice in there, though, all leather and fine elm, so we're not complaining.

Mechanicals

As previously revealed, the Speedback is entirely the XKR underneath - it has the same tyres, suspension and chassis, plus the R's epic 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine with 510hp and 625Nm, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. It means performance stats for the DBA are broadly in line with the Jag, 0-62mph coming up in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 155mph, presumably electronically pegged in the same manner as the Big Cat. All of this means the DBA Speedback is comfortably quicker than the DB5 ever was, although that's hardly the point.

Anything else?

The exact price of the Speedback will be confirmed at the Monaco event, but DBA plans a limited production number per year, which in the best-case scenario would only number 20, meaning it will definitely qualify for low volume type approval. Given that there isn't actually a factory to build these, as yet (if it gets enough orders, plans are all in place), you can bet the cost will be high. But probably a lot cheaper than trying to source and purchase one of the surviving original DB5s...



Matt Robinson - 4 Apr 2014


2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.

2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.2014 David Brown Automotive Speedback. Image by David Brown Automotive.









    - David Brown Automotive road tests
- David Brown Automotive news
- Speedback images






Land Rover teases new flagship Defender Octa. Image by Land Rover.
Land Rover Defender Octa teaser
The forthcoming, high-performance, top-of-the-range Defender takes its name from the shape of a diamond, apparently.
 
Volkswagen unveils hot ID.3 GTX models. Image by Volkswagen.
VW ID.3 GTX reveal
High-performance electric hatchback will be offered in ‘standard’ and Performance guises.
VW adds go-faster GTX model to ID.7 range. Image by Volkswagen.
VW ID.7 GTX reveal
The hot ID.7 GTX gets 340hp and all-wheel drive, and it’ll be offered in saloon and estate body styles.

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©