Aston Martin Ulster

Aston Martin Ulster

The Aston Martin Ulster is one of the most revered and valuable pre-war British sports cars, a lightweight racing machine whose name commemorates one of Aston Martin's finest competition achievements. Named after the 1934 RAC Tourist Trophy race held on the Ards Circuit in County Down, Northern Ireland (then part of the Ulster province), where specially prepared Aston Martins achieved a sensational 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in their class, the Ulster represents the pinnacle of 1930s Aston Martin engineering.

The Ulster was based on the Mark II chassis but extensively developed for competition by the brilliant engineer Augustus 'Bert' Bertelli, who was both the company's chief engineer and lead racing driver. The 1,495cc overhead-camshaft four-cylinder engine, known as the Bertelli engine, was tuned to produce approximately 85 hp — a remarkable output for a 1.5-litre engine in 1934. The engine featured a cross-flow head, dry-sump lubrication, and careful attention to breathing and combustion chamber design.

The Ulster's chassis was designed for competition, with a lightweight ladder frame, rigid axles on semi-elliptic leaf springs, and Hartford friction dampers. The body was minimalist — a lightweight aluminium two-seater with cycle-type fenders, a slab fuel tank at the rear, external exhaust pipe, and a fold-flat windscreen. Every element was designed to minimize weight, resulting in a car that tipped the scales at just 864 kg (1,905 lbs).

With 85 hp propelling less than a ton of car, the Ulster could reach 100 mph — a genuinely impressive figure for a 1.5-litre car in the mid-1930s. Its handling, while limited by the solid axle suspension of the era, was considered excellent for its time, with predictable oversteer that skilled drivers could exploit.

The Ulster's competition record was outstanding. Beyond the eponymous TT victory, Ulsters competed at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia, and numerous other events with distinction. At the 1935 Le Mans 24 Hours, Ulsters finished 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, and 11th overall — an extraordinary achievement for such small-engined cars against much more powerful competitors.

Only 21 Ulster models were produced between 1934 and 1936, each essentially hand-built at Aston Martin's Feltham factory. This extreme rarity, combined with the car's competition heritage, beautiful proportions, and significance in Aston Martin history, makes the Ulster one of the most desirable pre-war sports cars in existence. When examples have appeared at auction, they have commanded prices between $2 million and $5 million, reflecting their status as the most important pre-war Aston Martin.