by Mike –
The Aston Martin DB2 was introduced at the New York Auto Show in April 1950. The second, third, and fourth DB2 examples were raced at The 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950 resulting in a first and second in class. Not bad for a small company like Aston Martin.
1957 Aston Martin DB2
The DB2 had a straight-6 cylinder, 2.6-Liter engine with a a dual overhead cam. The engine evolved from Lagonda, which Aston Martin had purchased. This engine was designed by W. O. Bentley, of Bentley Motorcar Company fame, and Willie Watson previously with Invicta, who also participated in the design of the V12 Lagonda.
The American Briggs Cunningham raced a later DB2 in the first Sebring race in December 1950 winning second in class.
The racing success of the DB2 convinced David Brown to continue racing so beginning with the DB3 Aston Martin made purpose-built race cars. DB are David Brown’s initials and his name is on the Aston Martin logo. You can do that when you own the company.
In total 411 DB2s were produced from 1950 through 1953.
In all the car shows that I attend every year this may be the first DB2 that I have seen in person. The distinctive rear look does not look like what I think an Aston Martin from the 1950s should look like. I think of the fast back of the 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III shown below.
1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III
This Aston Martin DB2 was photographed at the Danville d’Elegance in 2013 in Danville, California.
Let us know in the Comments what you think of the Aston Martin DB2
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This is one of 34 “Notch-back” DB 2/4 MkII coupes ever built. Most of them were right hand drive, less than a dozen were left hand drive. This car is not a “trailer queen” but a driver. Look for it at the Monterey car week in 2014.