The Aston Martin DB1 – A close look at this sports car including performance, technical data, features, rival comparison, history, used prices
from classic to modern
CAR
The first Aston Martin sports car appeared in 1914.
In 1939, the Aston Martin Atom was introduced, a two-door, four-seater coupe, powered by a two-litre, four-cylinder, SOHC engine with twin Zenith carburettors.
In the early 1940s, this unit was replaced by a 2-liter four-cylinder OHV engine with two SU carburetors and a compression ratio of 7.25:1.
Linked to a four-speed semi-automatic gearbox, it developed 90 hp at 4,750 rpm.
There was independent front suspension and leaf springs at the rear with Armstrong hydraulic shock absorbers. Production of the Atom ended in 1944.
In 1947, it was decided to design a new car but, at the time, the company was in financial difficulties and needed an injection of cash.
The story goes that when industrialist David Brown drove the Atom in 1947 he was so impressed that he bought the Aston Martin company, having already acquired the Lagonda company.
Using the Atom as a base, David Brown felt that a convertible or cabriolet coupe variant, with a wide, elongated body style, would be the most appropriate format for the new car’s production.
To resist the additional stresses encountered by removing the roof section, the chassis would need additional bracing.
Although Lagonda had larger twin-cam reciprocating six-cylinder engines, it was decided to retain the same 2-litre unit, used in the Atom, and fitted with a fully synchromesh David Brown four-speed manual gearbox.
It had a steel body, with a very distinctive three-part grille, on a steel chassis, with a curb weight of 1,140 kg.
It used 12-inch Girling hydraulic drum brakes on 16-inch wheels, with worm and roller steering.
An intriguing design feature was the presence of a compartment in one of the front wings to store the spare wheel.
The new sports car was named the Two Liter Sports and was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show, when production would continue until the introduction of the DB2 in 1950, at which point the car would be given the alternative name Aston Martin DB1.
Unfortunately, the presence of a heavy convertible-style two-seater body and a modestly powerful engine made the car underpowered, which was reflected in the fact that only 13 DB1s were built.
Furthermore, the chassis was only suitable for limited production, which meant that the car was expensive to produce and thus not a profitable venture.
THE ASTON MARTIN SPA CONVERTIBLE
Prior to the launch of the DB1 sports car, it was decided that, as a means of thoroughly testing the chassis and engine, the car would be entered in the 1948 Spa 24-hour Belgian race.
The existing body was replaced by a special version based on a small two-seater convertible.
As a result, the car won the race outright and was duly designated a Spa car.
After the race this car was rebuilt and displayed alongside the DB1 at the 1948 London Motor Show.
However, this single Spa replica, as it was known, failed to generate enough interest to warrant actual production and was subsequently displayed at the Dutch Motor Museum.
COMPETITION
The market in which the Aston Martin was launched included the following sports cars: Triumph 2000, Cisitalia 202 SMM Spider Nuvolari, Bristol 401 and Maserati A6.
This concludes my review of the Aston Martin DB1 sports car.
