Back in 1959 Aston Martin fielded a DBR1 race car (below) at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Roy Salvadori and the coverall-suited American Grand Prix racer cum chicken farmer, Carroll Shelby. The pair won the race ahead of Aston Martin teammates Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frere, netting the British marque’s first and only overall Le Mans victory. Following the BRG pair home was a scad of V12-powered Ferraris, more than 25 laps down.
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2019 is the 60th anniversary of the victory, and Aston’s in-house customizing specialist Q division has built the DBS 59 to showcase its heritage for 24 customers.
The DBS 59 had previously only been seen in renderings, but now the company have actually produced one, and it’s ready to be seen in the leather, metal, and carbon.
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Each of the 24 cars will commemorate a single hour of the Le Mans race victory, wearing the same exact shade of Aston Martin Racing Green with a gloss carbon fiber roof and bronze accented badges. The car also gets a special front grille, a numbered fender roundel, and special 21″ wheels.
On the inside, owners will be treated to bronze shift paddles, switches, and dials, as well as interior fabrics that mimic those of the racing car, and seatbacks embroidered with “59 Edition.” Further the rear wing—excuse me “Aeroblade”—of each DBS 59 is emblazoned with the chassis number and engine number of the Le Mans winner.
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Each of these 24 Aston buyers will be treated to a round of dress up as well, as the car comes with a complete replica of Carroll Shelby’s racing kit, from helmet and racing suit to gloves.
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Mechanically, this car will be no different from any other Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, meaning it’s got a 715-horsepower 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 under that long hood. Power is sent through an 8-speed automatic to the rear wheels, and allows the car to run from 0-60 in 3.2 seconds and top out at 211 mph.
No pricing has been mentioned by Aston Martin, but a standard DBS Superleggera starts at $304,995, so it’s certainly above my pay grade. Expect a hefty markup for the Q-fettled 59 Edition. In fact, it’s likely all 24 have already been sold, and the price won’t matter even a little bit.
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Remember when Aston Martin won Le Mans? The company wishes you would.
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