Photography Courtesy Aston Martin
Yes, Carroll Shelby is best known for his work with Ford–and some interesting projects with Dodge–but his automotive legacy actually began behind the wheel of British sports cars.
[Dodge Omni GLH | Vintage Views]
Shelby had already collected a number of wins by the time he agreed to pilot an Aston Martin DBR1 at the 1959 Le Mans race, so it might not be surprising that he helped the marque nab a first-place overall finish with co-driver Roy Salvadori.
Fast-forward 60 years to 2019, and Aston Martin announced the release of 24 (one for each hour of the race at Le Mans) limited-edition versions of the DBS Superleggera to celebrate the anniversary of that win. The car was dubbed the DBS 59.
Mechanically similar to the DBS Superleggera that features a 5.2-liter V12 engine good for 715 horsepower, the DBS 59 received a number of aesthetic tweaks from Aston Martin’s in-house personalization department, Q.
These touches include a bespoke front grille, unique two-tone wheels, plenty of bronze inlays inside and out, and–get this–a recreation of the DBR1’s original seat weave applied to the seat backs and door inserts.
Of course, if that wasn’t enough, buyers could also opt for a replica heritage racing helmet, a 1959 blue racing suit, and replicas of Carroll Shelby’s race gloves.
So, is the DBS 59 a celebration of Carroll Shelby? Perhaps not directly, but it is interesting that Aston Martin still acknowledged his part in ensuring the carmaker's racing heritage–and that maybe, just maybe, there’s a little bit of Shelby magic in every Aston Martin sold today.
These touches include a bespoke front grille, unique two-tone wheels, plenty of bronze inlays inside and out, and–get this–a recreation of the DBR1’s original seat weave applied to the seat backs and door inserts.
Fun fact: the DBR1's seat fabric was David Brown's swimming pool cover. They needed something waterproof so he brought it in the shop.
In reply to j_tso :
I think that's the most interesting fact I'm going to learn today.
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