Lot 158: 1952 Aston Martin DB2 Saloon

Aston Martin owner David Brown’s 1947 acquisition of Lagonda made the latter’s W O Bentley-designed, twin-overhead-camshaft, 2.6-litre six available for a new sportscar. Announced in April 1950, with production commencing the following month, the DB2 owed much to the Claude Hill-designed DB1, using a shortened and modified version of the latter’s chassis and identical suspension. Italian-inspired, the timelessly elegant GT bodywork was the creation of Frank Feeley, and with more power (105bhp at 5,000rpm) and less weight, the sleek DB2 comfortably out-performed its predecessor.
Writing in 1952, Autosport’s John Bolster enthused: ‘The DB2 is a very fast sportscar of immense stamina, as a long list of racing successes has proved. (The) model is remarkable for its comfort and luxury, and is also about the easiest thing there is to drive, outside of the “automatic transmission” carriages.’ Bolster enjoyed the DB2’s outstanding performance, particularly that of the 120mph Vantage version, and remarked on the car’s inherent safety and versatility: ‘Whether one would go shopping, to the theatre, on a long-distance tour, or even race at Le Mans, one could have no more perfect companion than the Aston Martin.’
The body of the DB2 afforded its two occupants a generous amount of interior space and the considerable convenience, from the maintenance and accessibility point of view, of a forward-hinging entire front section. DB2 bodies were coachbuilt in the traditional manner, a situation that resulted in numerous differences between individual examples, most obviously in the treatment of the front grille. A drophead coupé version was announced towards the end of 1950. When production ceased in April 1953, a total of 411 DB2s had been made, 98 of them dropheads.

This car’s entry in the AMOC Register (Vol. 2, page 98) records its engine as ‘VB6B/50/1108’, a 2.6-litre Vantage unit, while that currently fitted ‘VB6J/432’ is a later 3.0-litre unit as fitted to the successor DB2/4 model. A right-hand drive model sold new in France, the car was acquired by the vendor in 1996 and has been completely refurbished: the engine, gearbox, rear axle, brakes and bodywork all being restored between 2003 and 2005. Finished in grey with Bordeaux leather interior, the car is offered with (copy) factory build sheet, 1996 bill of sale, restoration invoices and French Carte Grise.

Le descriptif de cette voiture figurant dans l'AMOC Register (Vol 2, page 98) lui attribue le moteur “ VB6B/50/1108 ”, un groupe 2, 6 litres Vantage alors que le moteur actuel “ VB6J/432 ” et un trois-litres ultérieur semblable à celui du modèle DB2/4. Modèle à conduite à droite vendu en France, la voiture a été acquise par le Vendeur en 1996 et totalement refaite : moteur, boîte de vitesses, pont arrière, freins et carrosserie ont été restaurés entre 2003 et 2005. Peinte en gris avec intérieur en cuir bordeaux, la voiture est proposée avec sa feuille de fabrication d'usine (en copie), la facture de vente de 1996, des factures de restauration et sa carte grise française.