1938 Aston Martin 15/98

The Aston Martin 15/98 was introduced in the mid-1930s and was named after its Royal Automobile Club's horsepower rating (15) and its brake horsepower rating (98). (This was one of the last cars to use this outdated nomenclature) By this point in history, the company had firmly established its competition pedigree and built a reputation around its engineering prowess and durability. They built high quality, hand-built, very competitive and individual sports cars for those who wished to campaign them at the multitude of racing events including hill climbs and circuit races.

The 2 Liter Astons made their debut in August of 1936 and were a substantial revision over its 1.5-liter predecessor. The four-cylinder overhead came engine grew to 1949cc and the porting was upgraded to bring the spark plugs over to the exhaust side. Girling 14-inch hydraulic brakes became standard and also added a substantial performance benefit. The early 15/98s were built by Enrico Bertelli, the brother of Aston's managing director A.C. Bertelli. Following his resignation in 1936, Aston Martin turned to other coachbuilders, including Abbey Coachworks of Willesden in London. Abbey produced their first Aston Martin for the first London Earls Court Motor Show in 1937.

The 15/98 proved to be a solid commercial success with approximately 176 examples built including 50 short chassis open cars.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2020