David Brown Speedback GT – Classic exterior, modern underneath

David Brown Automotive have just unveiled their first model. Called the David Brown Automotive Speedback, the car’s styling is a mix of classic British sports cars. There’s plenty of Aston Martin in there. Err, well actually that’s about all there is. It’s almost completely Aston Martin. It should be said that the David Brown of David Brown Automotive has no connection with either Aston Martin, its founder, Sir David Brown, or with the David Brown Group.

So got that? This is an entirely different David Brown from the Aston Martin David Brown, who just happens to be building cars that look like classic Aston Martins but they aren’t.

What you get for your money (prices are still to be announced) is a classically styled GT car with modern underpinnings. Those underpinnings come from Jaguar – the Speedback is based on an XKR – and as such it is powered by a 5.0 litre supercharged V8 which produces 510 horsepower. Although the company say they can tune the engine to any level requested.

The David Brown Automotive Speedback is the result of 18 months worth of work. The aluminium-bodied car has been engineered and assembled by hand at in Coventry, England by a small team of engineers and the company’s chief designer, Alan Mobberley.

Commenting at the London preview of his model before it is packed off to Monaco to be shown publicly for the first time at the exclusive Top Marques show, Brown commented: “The launch of Speedback is the realisation of a dream for me, and is the result of skilful and dedicated work by a team of highly talented designers, engineers and craftsmen. I am delighted at the reaction of the media, our suppliers, potential customers and friends, and I look forward to presenting the car to the public in Monaco. The Speedbackname perfectly reflects the classic sports car tradition of the past, whilst also doing justice to the sophisticated silhouette of the car’s hand-built body and unique styling which features amongst much other detail, a fold-down picnic seat.”

The interior of the David Brown Speedback GT is the real stand-out element of the car. It looks luxurious, refined, yet also up-to-date with the latest gadgets. Only the finest hides are used for the leather upholstery and the chrome detailing is excellent.