Retro age of racing inspires new Aston Martin
Aston Martin scored a major motor sports victory in 1959, having cars secure both first and second place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. Both vehicles were DBR1s and only five were built between 1956 and 1959.
The Le Mans race was challenging in '59, with stiff competition coming from both Ferrari and Porsche. In the end, it was drivers Roya Salvadori and a good old country boy from Texas by the name of Carroll Shelby who ended up in the winner's circle.
Over the 2,720 miles covered in that race, the duo averaged a speed of 112.5 mph. Because of the DBR1s rarity and its provenance, they've soared in value; in 2017 one sold at auction for $22.5 million.
With such a storied legacy, an Aston Martin dealer in Cambridge, England, has commissioned a limited run of vehicles to celebrate that 1959 triumph. They'll be called DBS 59s, built using Aston's fastest model: the 715-horsepower, 2018 DBS Superleggera, capable of hitting 211 mph.
Only 24 will be made, one for every hour of the endurance race. The cars will draw influence from their retro race-car predecessors, most notably in their Aston Martin “Racing Green” paint.
Inside, the interiors will use black and tan leather, highlighted by green accenting and headrest embroidery. Patterned fabric, inspired by the DBR1 seat material, will be used in these new cars as trim around the seat backs and door inserts. There's bronze detailing throughout, most notably in the front grille surround and trunk badging.
Other cool touches include custom leather “helmet pods” in the rear compartment, built to hold helmets, race suits and gloves. Each car will be identifiable by a small painted white circle behind the front wheels, with each getting numbered from one to 24.
More accessories come in the way of period blue race overalls complete with Aston Martin and DBS 59 logos, replica string-backed racing gloves modeled off those worn by Caroll Shelby, a replica 1959 race helmet, a two-piece luggage set to match interior trim and a car cover in Aston Martin Racing Green featuring the car's specific edition number.
The DBS 59s are available now for ordering through Aston Martin Cambridge.