Aston Martin DBR1 auctioned for $22.6 million

The 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 race car with chassis no.1 is the most expensive British car ever sold

Even more than 60 years after it was built, this one looks absolutely stunning! At RM Sotheby's auction, it has recently been sold at an equally spectacular price of $22.6 million (Rs 1.4 billion approx.). The 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 then, is officially the most expensive British car to be ever sold. The Aston betters the 1955 Jaguar D-Type which was auctioned last year at $21.8 million.

But what makes this Aston Martin so exquisite? According to Sotheby, it is the arguably the ‘most important Aston Martin to be ever built’. Some might argue that the DB5 from the famous James Bond movie Goldfinger should hold that title, but that’s could probably be a never-ending debate.

Only 5 units of the DBR1 were ever produced by Aston Martin, and this one is the first of them all. It was raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1956-58 but retired in all three races. Its twin however, the DBR1/2 brought top honours in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans at the hands of Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby. In the same year, the DBR1/1 brought Sterling Moss and Jack Fairman a victory in the Nurburgring 1000km.

The Aston Martin DBR1/1 is one of the five cars to be ever offered on sale. Meanwhile, the 1959 Aston Martin DB4 GT Prototype was also sold at the RM Sotheby auction this year. It went for $ 6.7 million.