A 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 racing car has become the most expensive British car ever sold after fetching a £17.5 million price tag at the RM Sotheby's Monterey auction 2017.
Once driven by renowned racer Sir Stirling Moss, the car is said to be one of, if not the most, important Aston Martin in history as it was the brand’s first car built with the aim of winning the Le Mans 24-hour race.
Unfortunately, the car failed to finish the race due to mechanical issues, but the DBR1 did eventually achieve success in 1959 when Sir Stirling Moss and Jack Fairman screeched the car to victory in the Nürburgring 1000km.
Fitted with a 3.0-litre straight-six engine capable of producing 301bhp, the vehicle itself is said to be in pristine condition, carefully maintained by Aston Martin specialists R.S Williams. Despite having a few engine modifications, the car is considered the most accurate DBR1 in existence today.
Earning a spot in the top 10 most expensive cars publicly sold, the vehicle enticed a seven-minute bidding war which seen it sell for $20 million – approximately £17.5 million.
