Aston Martin DBS 59: A 715-HP Tribute to Carroll Shelby’s 1959 Le Mans 24 Victory

Effectively a rechristened, modified DBS Superleggera, the DBS 59 is the same 715-horsepower, V12-powered grand tourer you already know, but restyled by Aston Martin's "Q" in-house personalization department. This whole project is possible thanks to a commission from dealership Lancaster Aston Martin Cambridge. Each of the 24 cars represents each hour of the 1959 Le Mans race, which saw Aston Martin take a one-two finish with a pair of DBR1s, with Roy Salvadori and Caroll Shelby in the lead car and Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frére not far behind in second.

Being a wheeled encomium to the winning DBR1, Q used the original car as a muse, reinterpreting as many of its design cues as possible for the modern car. It's painted in the same shade of Aston Martin Racing Green but has the modern touch of a glossy carbon fiber roof, and enough machined bronze to make you think the stuff grew on trees. Its "Superleggera" badges, grille, brake calipers, 21-inch wheels, shift paddles, and even a foil graphic inlaid into the rear "aeroblade" spoiler are all made from or finished in the material.

Said wing graphic depicts an outline of the winning car, with its chassis and engine numbers included below it. The DBR1 appears again inside the car, on an embroidered sun visor that dates the '59 Le Mans race, and denotes the winning car's lap count. In fact, it almost looks as if an embroider has spent their entire life inside the DBS 59, spending their time exercising their craft of the rear speaker covers (which show a period-accurate Circuit de la Sarthe layout).

More impressive than the embroidery is the length to which Q went to recreate the DBR1's interior feel, as they cloned the original's seat fabrics down to the material's weave. And those who nerd out about fabrics (or love a bit of Carroll cosplay) can dress up in the DBS 59's included costume pack, which comes with replicas of period-correct racing gear including race suits, gloves, and an open-faced helmet with goggles.

Aston Martin didn't say what the DBS 59 will cost, but since DBS Superleggeras start at $304,995, you can bet your cheeks that the DBS 59 will cost considerably more. If money isn't an object, and all the cars haven't already sold out, the aforementioned Aston dealer that commissioned the cars will be the place to buy them.