Aston Martin DB3S Works Racer

Aston Martin DB3S Works Racer

The Aston Martin DB3S was the car with which David Brown's Aston Martin team established itself as a serious force in international sports car racing during the mid-1950s. Designed by race team manager John Wyer with bodywork by Frank Feeley, the DB3S combined beautiful proportions with genuine competitiveness against Ferrari, Jaguar, and Maserati.

The foundation was the proven 2.9-litre twin-cam inline-six engine designed by W.O. Bentley, producing up to 225 horsepower in race specification with triple Weber carburetors, high-compression pistons, and racing camshafts. In its final development, the engine could produce even more, and its reliability was a significant advantage in endurance racing.

The chassis was a tubular steel space frame, considerably lighter and stiffer than the production-based DB3 it replaced. The De Dion rear axle, combined with trailing link independent front suspension, provided handling that was predictable and controllable at the limit. The car was notably well-balanced, a characteristic that made it popular with drivers who valued consistency over outright speed.

Frank Feeley's bodywork was a masterpiece of 1950s racing car design. The flowing curves, low nose, and graceful tail created one of the most beautiful racing cars ever made. The body was hand-formed in aluminum alloy over a lightweight frame, with the works cars receiving regular modifications as development progressed.

In competition, the DB3S achieved considerable success. It finished second overall at Le Mans in 1955 and 1956, won the Goodwood 9 Hours, and scored numerous victories in British and continental events. Drivers of the caliber of Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Roy Salvadori, and Tony Brooks all raced DB3S cars.

Of the 31 DB3S cars built, 20 were works competition cars and 11 were customer cars supplied for private racing. The customer cars were to the same specification as the works cars, making them genuinely competitive in period. Several were also used on the road, their tractable engines and compliant suspension making this a practical if exhilarating proposition.

Today, the DB3S is among the most valuable and sought-after Aston Martins in existence. Its combination of beauty, racing history, and extreme rarity has pushed values into the multi-million dollar range. The car represents one of the finest achievements of the golden age of sports car racing, when cars of extraordinary beauty were also genuinely competitive machines.