After its debut in 1956 the DBR1 recorded a string of famous victories, including at the Spa Sportscar Race (1957); the Goodwood Tourist Trophy (1958, 1959); and the 1000 Km at the Nurburgring (1959) in the same year as that famous Le Mans triumph, which culminated in Aston Martin taking the World Sportscar Championship. Although a car made for competitive racing, the DBR1 was also a precursor for some of the marque’s most well-known heritage DB road cars. It was styled in- house by a highly talented designer, Frank Feeley, and, working alongside Chief Racing Designer Ted Cutting, represents what is unquestionably his finest hour — indeed, the shape of the DBR1 remains one of the most beautiful and graceful of all time. At the car’s heart from 1958 onwards lays a 2,992 cc straight six engine mated to a David Brown five-speed gearbox. It was capable of powering this 800 kg sports car to an estimated top speed in excess of 150 mph. Produced as a pure racing model — not directly derived from a road car — just five
examples of DBR1 were built: four used to a commanding effect by the Aston Martin Works’ team and a single car for private use. With such a rich and important history it’s no surprise that the brand should choose to create a dedicated optional DBR1 specification for its new V12 Speedster. Featuring cleverly integrated custom elements reminiscent of the Le Mans winning race car, the Aston Martin V12 Speedster DBR1 specification offers highlights such as the iconic Aston Martin Racing Green paint finish, Clubsport White pinstripe and roundels, a Satin Silver anodized grille with Clubsport lipstick graphic, Conker saddle leather, and Viridian Green technical textile/Caithness leather. All these features hint at the period attributes that made DBR1 the undisputed icon it remains today. Unique Aston Martin Racing Green driver and passenger helmets sit under transparent windows, while solid silver wings badges glint beneath transparent enamel. The finely judged application of gloss carbon fiber, Caithness Green
leather, and satin silver brushed aluminium switchgear in the V12 Speedster’s open cabin underline the tasteful homage to a true motoring great. Satin black diamond turned 21-inch center lock wheels are a feature of this specialist specification, with each Aston Martin V12 Speedster spending more than 50 hours in the painting process alone at the brand’s advanced paint facility. At the new car’s heart lies a high- performance variant of Aston Martin’s now iconic 5.2-litre V12 twin-turbo engine, capable of generating an output of around 700 PS and 753 Nm. Offering a compelling breadth of performance, superb response, and thrilling V12 soundtrack, the engine is mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission mounted towards the rear of the car. This translates into a 0-62 mph time in the order of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph — no mean feat in a car devoid of roof or windscreen. Each Speedster is hand-built at the company’s headquarters in Gaydon, United Kingdom.
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