--- title: Aston Martin DBR1 · HICONIUM description: "Five DBR1s carried Aston Martin's works sports-racing programme. One won Le Mans outright in 1959, when the team took the World Sportscar Championship. Each chassis is judged by works results, retained components and later race history." canonical_url: https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/astonmartin/dbr1 image: https://hiconium.dev/og/vehicle/astonmartin/dbr1.png --- > HICONIUM · Index: https://hiconium.dev/llms.txt · Every page: append `.md` or send `Accept: text/markdown`. > Path: [Home](https://hiconium.dev/) › [Vehicles](https://hiconium.dev/models) › [Aston Martin](https://hiconium.dev/manufacturers/aston%20martin) › DBR1 > On this page: [The price and the proof](#the-price-and-the-proof) · [Model readouts](#model-readouts) · [Documented sales](#documented-sales) · [A purpose-built answer to new prototype rules](#overview-heading) · [Technical specifications](#technical-specifications) · [Powertrain](#powertrain) · [Chassis](#chassis) · [The people behind the car](#the-people-behind-the-car) · [Ted Cutting](#ted-cutting) · [Member instruments](#member-instruments) ![An Aston Martin DBR1 sports-racer in green, front three-quarter view on a green field with a gold dawn glow](https://hiconium.dev/images/cars/astonmartin-dbr1/hero-wide-2560.jpg) # DBR1 Le Mans, then the title Five DBR1s carried Aston Martin's works sports-racing programme. One won Le Mans outright in 1959, when the team took the World Sportscar Championship. Each chassis is judged by works results, retained components and later race history. 1956 to 1959 · 5 built · Feltham ## The price and the proof Indicative road-car band $20M–$26M · 2 documented road sales · 2 recorded sales on file. Modeled values are not observed sales. Nothing here is investment advice. Confidence: low. Only one modern public auction result is available for a five-car population. Chassis-specific competition history, retained original components and eligibility for major historic events can outweigh the model-level band. Indicative USD range anchored to DBR1/1's documented 2017 result; it is not a statistical market. Valuation method and source rules: [HICONIUM standards](https://hiconium.dev/standards). Observed auction results across the wider market: [Market terminal](https://hiconium.dev/market). ### Model readouts 2 documented anchors. model v1 · seed astonmartin-dbr1. Compound annual growth is modeled price CAGR; S&P 500 is a price index without dividends. Forecast quantiles are not investment advice. | Window | This car* | S&P 500 | Gold | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1Y | +8.4% | +18.8% | +21.9% | | 5Y | -0.4% | +11.4% | +17.6% | | Series | Deepest drawdown | Window | | --- | --- | --- | | This car* | -18.9% | Feb 2020 → Apr 2023 · not recovered | | S&P 500 | -20.3% | Dec 2021 → Oct 2022 · recovered Dec 2023 | | Gold | -18.9% | Feb 2026 → Jul 2026 · not recovered | | Horizon | P10 | P50 | P90 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | +6M | $21'135'769 | $23'072'109 | $25'185'846 | | +12M | $20'921'708 | $23'343'873 | $26'046'460 | | +24M | $20'544'385 | $23'897'043 | $27'796'824 | ### Documented sales 2 recorded. Every public sale on this file, newest first. Amounts keep the recorded currency. Source links appear only when the catalog stores a public auction-lot URL. | Date | Chassis / label | Class | House | Venue | Amount | Currency | Basis | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2017-08-19 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey, USA · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey, USA | $22'550'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/31853/results](https://glenmarch.com/auction-cars/show-backup-image/31853/results) | | 2017-08-18 | RM Sotheby's · Monterey · incl. buyer's premium | Road | RM Sotheby's | Monterey | $22'550'000 | USD | incl. buyer's premium | [https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo17/lots/r159-1956-aston-martin-dbr1/](https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo17/lots/r159-1956-aston-martin-dbr1/) | The ledger records a public auction result only. Private transfers among the other four chassis are not inferred. ## A purpose-built answer to new prototype rules Aston Martin began the DBR1 after the 1955 Le Mans race, moving away from production-based machinery. Ted Cutting drew the small-tube chassis, torsion-bar suspension and aluminium body around a new racing straight-six. The single 1956 Le Mans entry retired after 20 hours. Wins arrived in 1957 at Spa and the Nürburgring; by 1959 the team had built five cars and resolved enough of the engine and transaxle weaknesses to mount a full title campaign. Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby won the 1959 24 Hours in DBR1/2, with Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frère second in DBR1/4. Aston Martin also won the World Sportscar Championship before withdrawing its works team at the end of the season. | Highlight | Detail | | --- | --- | | The rules changed the engine | The 1956 Le Mans formula capped prototypes at 2.5 litres, so DBR1/1 began with a 2'493 cc RB6. The later three-litre rules let Aston develop the same basic design to 2'992 cc and as much as 268 bhp by 1959. | | Five chassis, five records | DBR1 is too scarce for model-level shorthand. DBR1/2 won Le Mans in 1959; DBR1/1 won the Nürburgring 1000 KM that year and later sold with its original engine retained alongside a race unit. | | The title followed Le Mans | Aston Martin finished first and second at Le Mans in June 1959, then secured the World Sportscar Championship at the Tourist Trophy. The programme ended as its objective was met. | | Label | Value | | --- | --- | | Built | 5 | | Designer | Ted Cutting | | Works engine | RB6 straight-six | | Le Mans | Winner · 1959 | | Championship | World Sportscar · 1959 | ## Technical specifications ### Powertrain | Label | Value | Note | | --- | --- | --- | | Engine | RB6 all-aluminium straight-six | 2'493 cc in 1956; 2'922 cc and finally 2'992 cc | | Cylinder head | Twin-plug DOHC | 95-degree head and triple Weber 50 DCO carburettors by 1959 | | Power | Up to 268 bhp | 1959 works configuration; earlier engines produced less | | Gearbox | CG537 5-speed transaxle | rear-mounted, semi-dry-sump unit | ### Chassis | Label | Value | Note | | --- | --- | --- | | Structure | Small-tube perimeter spaceframe | designed under Ted Cutting | | Body | Thin-gauge aluminium | Cutting also shaped the works body | | Front suspension | Transverse torsion bars | | | Rear suspension | De Dion with longitudinal torsion bars | trailing links and Watt linkage | | Brakes | Girling discs | light-alloy calipers | ## The people behind the car ### [Ted Cutting](https://hiconium.dev/people/ted-cutting) Race car design chief · Aston Martin Designed the DBR1's spaceframe, suspension package and aluminium body, then led its mechanical development through the three-litre programme. ## Member instruments A HICON Bid is a confidential expression of buying interest on this file. It is not a binding purchase, and HICONIUM holds no funds. [Sign in](https://hiconium.dev/sign-in) to place one. Garage files for an owned chassis are member records and are not listed here. [How membership works](https://hiconium.dev/membership).