Yahoo Autos Aston Martin Creates DBS 59 Special Edition to Commemorate 1959 Le Mans Victory
Aston Martin is releasing a special edition of the DBS Superleggera to celebrate the brand's 1959 Le Mans win.
The 24 cars get a Racing Green paintjob and a number of unique design details.
Each car also comes with a custom race suit, helmet, gloves, and luggage set.
UPDATE 4/19/19: The first DBS 59 of the 24-car production run has been built, and Aston has released a set of photos of the special edition. It gives us a better look at details like the racing helmet, tweed inserts, and unique badging. Click here to see the full gallery.
Aston Martin's Q division, which focuses on bespoke customer creations that range from unique color combinations to one-off coachbuilt models, has come up with a special run of cars based on Aston's newest model, the DBS Superleggera. Called the DBS 59, the cars were commissioned by the Aston Martin Cambridge dealership in England, and just 24 units will be built.
The 59 in the name and the 24-unit number are significant, as the car was inspired by Aston's 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans win, in which two DBR1 race cars achieved a 1-2 finish. The first-place DBR1 was driven by Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby, while the second DBR1 was piloted by Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frère. The DBR1 has been described by racing legend Stirling Moss as "the most important Aston Martin ever produced." In 2017, one went for a record-setting $22,550,000, making it the most expensive British car ever sold at auction.
A connection between the DBR1 and the new DBS 59 is immediately apparent thanks to the DBS's Aston Martin Racing Green paint. The grille surround and exterior badging are all finished in a special bronze, and numbered white roundel badges on the front fenders denote which of the 24 units each car is. A script in bronze painted onto the rear spoiler reads "DBR1/2-RB6/300/6"-the chassis number of the Le Mans–winning DBR1.
On the inside of the DBS 59, a combination of Obsidian Black and Chestnut Tan leather is paired with fabric inserts on the seatbacks and door cards that is reminiscent of the DBR1's seats. A wreath logo is embroidered on the headrests, Racing Green and bronze trim is used throughout the interior, and there is additional badging on the center console and the sun visors. Q by Aston Martin also fitted helmet pods in the rear of the cabin that house the special helmets, racing suits, and gloves that come with the DBS 59, all of which are replicas of those the 1959 race team wore. A matching two-piece luggage set and an Aston Martin Racing Green car cover round out the additional features.
No mechanical changes have been made to the DBS 59, meaning it is powered by the same twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12 and eight-speed automatic transmission as the regular DBS Superleggera. The 715-hp DBS can hit a claimed 211 mph, making it the fastest production Aston ever built. The DBS is based on the same underlying architecture as the DB11, but it's positioned much higher in the lineup, with the Superleggera's base price of $308,081 commanding a $64,256 premium over the V-12 DB11 AMR.
The DBS 59 isn't the first time that the Aston Martin Cambridge dealer has commissioned a run of bespoke Astons. Last year, the same dealership came up with the Vanquish S Red Arrows Edition and previously had created two Vantage S special editions. The 24 DBS 59s are available to order now through the dealership, which is the only way to get one.
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