1950 Aston Martin DB2

The Aston Martin DB2 was a 2-seat sports car designed by Frank Feeley of Lagonda. In production from 1950-1953, The DB2 featured a 2.6-litre inline 6-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels.

Succeeding the 2-litre Sports model, the DB2 was available as a 2-door, 2-seat coupe named by Aston Martin as a Sports Saloon and also later a drophead coupe.

When Aston Martin Lagonda came into existence in 1947, the company inherited Lagonda's 2.6-litre dohc straight six engine. This was the main reason behind owner David Brown's acquisition. Clothed in Feeley's fastback coupe body, three pre-production cars were entered for the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In the following year the Aston Martin DB2 was shown at the New York Auto Show and remained in production until 1953. In total, 411 were made. The first 49 cars produced had a three-part chrome grille and large cooling vents in the front wings. Later cars had a revised grille and no side vents.

At the rear a small lid allowed access to the spare wheel. The minimal luggage space behind the front seats was only reached from inside the car. In 1950, a drop-head coupe was introduced, of which around 102 were built.

The Aston Martin DB2 was fitted with an evolution of the Lagonda 2.6-litre straight 6-cylinder engine. Utilising dual SU carburettors it produced 105bhp. Additionally an uprated version was available with larger carburettors, higher compression ratio and larger inlet valves. Producing 125bhp it was deemed unsuitable for the UK market due to the low octane petrol of the time. These were Aston Martin's first Vantage upgrades and the car was subsequently shipped to U.S. to be used in racing by Briggs Cunningham.

The DB2 was, for its time, an impressive performer. Reaching 60mph in 11 seconds and claiming a 117mph top speed, the car was sure to be a headline grabber. Road tests of the time remarked on its brilliant combination of civility and performance. With the car's handmade aluminium body, corrosion is kept to a minimum. Where the body meets the steel chassis however, electrolysis can cause many problems. Similarly the wooden blocks used for certain mounts will have deteriorated over time. Engines are generally durable but correct cylinder head torque settings must be observed to minimise head gasket sealing problems. A number of different companies provide a wide range of original and remanufactured parts for the DB2 making repair and restoration feasible.

The Aston Martin DB2 enjoyed considerable competition success in its career and this has helped to bolster values of the road cars. Early works vehicles and Vantage specification cars are particularly sought after. In recent years, the growth in value of the Aston DB4, DB5 and DB6 models has helped to raise the profile (and value) of the DB2.

The hand built, exclusive nature of Aston Martin's DB2 sets it apart from offerings from certain other manufacturers. At the time there were a number of models from the likes of Jaguar (the XK120) and Bristol (the 400/401), but they did not have the sporting pedigree of the Aston Martin. The latter was considerably more expensive which also added to its desirability.