This year, Aston Martin marks 60 years of their famous 1959 victory at Le Mans. Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori drove two DBR1 cars through the finish line, taking 1st and 2nd place. It’s one of the brightest racing moments for Aston Martin.
According to Sir Stirling Moss, the DBR1 is “the most important Aston Martin ever produced”. We can say for sure it’s the most expensive British car ever produced. In 2017, one of 5 cars ever built was sold for $22.5 million in an RM Sothesby auction at Monterey.
To commemorate the 1959 victory and the fantastic machine that made it possible, Aston Martin Cambridge commissioned a special edition car built – the DBS 59.
Q by Aston Martin, the company’s special commissions department, will hand build 24 units – 1 for each hour of the race. Of course, Aston will be using its flagship production car DBS Superleggera as a starting point.
DBS 59 comes in Aston Martin’s iconic Racing Green color. The green paintwork is complemented by glossy carbon fiber on the roof, front splitter, and rear wing.
Completing the color palette is a bronze metallic paint, strategically applied to details inside and out of the vehicle – front grille, brake calipers, paddle shifters and a number of badges and inscriptions. The two-tone 21-inch wheels also have a bronze tint.
Talking about badges, you’ll find them all around the DBS 59. Most notably, on the side of the vehicle, just below the Q badge, there is a small roundel with the car’s number 1 through 24.
The interior is executed in Obsidian Black and Chesnut leather. The fabric of the original DBR1 car was recreated and used in combination with the leather. The 59 logo is embossed on the seats, and when you flip the sun visor, you’ll find a unique inscription with key facts about the 1959 victory.
Finally, Q by Aston Martin included a set of vintage racing apparel, including a crash helmet, blue overalls and a pair of gloves – no doubt replicas of what the winning drivers wore during the event.
