Aston Martin V8 Oscar India 1979 - World Of Classic Cars -

Aston Martin V8 Oscar India 1979

Aston Martin's customers had been clamouring for an eight-cylinder car for years, so Aston Martin designed a larger two-door saloon for V8 applications. The engine was not ready, however, so in 1967 the company released the DBS with the straight-six Vantage engine from the DB6. Two years later, Tadek Marek's V8 was ready, and Aston released the DBS V8. With the demise of the straight-six Vantage in 1973, the DBS V8, now restyled and called simply the Aston Martin V8, became the company's mainstream car for nearly two decades. It was retired in favour of the Virage in 1989. The 'Oscar India' specification was introduced in October 1978 at the Birmingham International Motor Show. Visually, the former scoop on the bonnet gave way to a closed 'power bulge', while a spoiler was integrated into the tail. Most Oscar India cars were equipped with a Chrysler 'Torqueflite' three-speed automatic transmission, with wood trim fitted for the first time since the DB2/4 of the 1950's. Just 352 Oscar India models were built from 1978 through to 1985. The power of the now de-smogged engines kept dropping on American market cars, down to a low of 245hp in the early 80's.