Race cars are sometimes tricky to sell. Owning and driving them requires mechanical aptitude and patience, traits that some collectors are not willing to endure. But if production was limited to only 5 cars, it completely changes the situation.
David Brown bought Aston Martin in 1947, and his line of high-performance luxury cars was named with his initials. One of his famous racers, the DB3S was based on a street-legal car, as per regulations at the time. But a change to the rulebook for 1956 allowed for competitors to build race-only cars.
The DBR1 was the first Aston Martin specifically built as a race car. Only five cars were produced, and they brought home numerous wins. The prototype was this car “DBR1/1”, and it won the 1,000 km of Nürburgring in 1959. After a complete restoration, it has also become the most expensive British car ever sold. At RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction, it hammered for $22,550,000. From the light alloy body to a futuristic 5-speed transaxle, this car was built to dominate. RM Sotheby’s had very strict criteria on bidders, who required vetting and a background check. They also chose to showcase it on the world’s greatest car website, so that prospective buyer could see all the details. We’re glad we could help it find a new home, and congratulations to RM Sothebys on a successful weekend. Stay with us for a breakdown of Monterey highlights and more Aston Martin news.
