For Sale: The most valuable Aston Martin in the world (no, not THAT one)

The collectors’ car community was shaken and stirred when the man behind so many multi-million-pound transactions, John Collins of Talacrest, announced the sale of DBR1/2, the winning car at the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours.

The pale metallic green Aston, chassis DBR1/2, has been in the same ownership for many years. In period, its drivers won at Spa, the Nürburgring (a magnificent effort by Brooks/Cunningham-Reid in 1957) and at Goodwood, where Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks clinched the World Championship for the British marque in 1959.

But the car will be forever remembered for providing Aston Martin with its much-longed-for first overall at Le Mans in 1959, when driven by Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori. As an aside, DBR1/2 had already competed in the 1957 and 1958 French 24-hour events, failing to finish on both occasions. And, just for good measure, it was entered once again in 1960, finishing 9th overall.

For Sale: The most valuable Aston Martin in the world (no, not THAT one)

Since then, it’s been a regular at historic race meetings worldwide piloted in fine fashion by top drivers such as Richard Attwood, Peter Hardman, Gregor Fisken and Tony Dron.

One of just five DBR1s built – and very much the pick of the bunch, with its one-of-a-kind Le Mans-winning history – whether we ever know what DBR1/2 eventually sells for, it will undoubtedly be the most valuable Aston Martin ever sold.

And, at only just under Ferrari 250 GTO level, it will also be on the shortlist of that old favourite, the “most expensive car in the world”. Beat that, Mr Bond.