1957 Aston Martin DBR2 Racer

Aston Martin, in 1956, produced the DBR1/250 (2.5 litre) and DBR1/300 (3.0 litre) sports racing prototype for the World Racing Championship racing. For the 1957 Le Mans 25 Hour race, larger displacement engines were allowed. Two DBR2's were produced by Aston Martin with 3.7 liter engines. DBR2/1 DNF'ed at LeMans. The engine regulations were changed back to 3 liters which relegated the DBR2's to open events in England and the Americas. Towards the end of 1957 a larger chassis, known as DP166, was developed along with a new 3.7-liter engine, and two cars were built and named the DBR2. Hopes of winning at LeMans in 1958 were dashed when World Sportscar Championship regulations changed, limiting engine displacement to 3 liters for sports prototypes. So the older DBR1 was used once again in competitions in 1958 and 1959 - when Aston Martin secured its famous win at Le Mans.

DBR2/1 won the 1958 US National Championship. The December 1959 appearance of DBR2/2 at the Nassau Speedweek driven by Stirling Moss was the last works sponsored race in an open Aston Martin.

DBR2/2 was driven by Stirling Moss to victory in the Governor's Trophy race in the Bahamas in 1958. It returned to the United Kingdom and was sold by Aston Martin in 1960. It was later owned by the late Victor Gauntlet, Chairman of the Aston Martin Company in the 1980s.

The DBR2 was designed with a tube frame derived from the 1955 Project Lagonda V-12 race car designed for long-distance racing. It had a dry weight of 1988 lbs and an Aston Martin designed 5-speed gearbox. In the front was a Porsche derived front suspension with a DeDion rear suspension setup. Top speed with the 4.2-liter engine was 197 MPH.