The 15-car David Brown launch model — the car that launched the DB era.
The 2-Litre Sports, retrospectively known as the DB1, was the first Aston Martin built under David Brown's ownership and the car that launched the "DB" era. Frank Feeley designed the streamlined drophead coupé body (from sketches originally made pre-war for the Lagonda V12) on an entirely new rectangular-section steel tube chassis with independent front suspension — no pre-war Aston tooling was used. Its signature three-part grille set the template for every Aston that followed.
A stripped, cycle-winged development of the chassis (the 2-Litre Spa Special) won the 1948 Spa 24 Hours outright with St. John Horsfall and Leslie Johnson, testing the design in competition before the road car's launch at the October 1948 London Motor Show at £2,331. 1,970 cc inline-four, twin SU carburettors, 90 bhp at 4,750 rpm, four-speed manual, four-wheel drum brakes; kerb weight approximately 1,143 kg.
Production halted in mid-1950 after just 15 cars (the last three built as a special final batch for Lord Chesham), making the DB1 the rarest of all David Brown-era production Astons; superseded by the DB2.
One of the rarest DB-era Astons at 15 cars; provenance, originality and the Spa-winning bloodline drive a thin, individually negotiated market.
| Variant | Years | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Litre Sports (DB1) | 1948–1950 | 15 | Frank Feeley drophead coupé body; 1,970 cc I4, 90 bhp; steel tube chassis; the first DB-era Aston. The related 2-Litre Spa Special won the 1948 Spa 24 Hours. |
Authenticate stamped chassis and engine numbers against factory or club records. For the DB1 specifically, confirm chassis identity against the 15-car run, authenticate Feeley drophead coachwork and record documented ownership history in a thin, individually negotiated market.
Confirm body originality, panel identity and restoration standard against a marque specialist.
Confirm continuous service history and any rebuild history for the engine, transmission and driveline against a marque specialist.
Restoration standard, originality of body and driveline, and any documented ownership record are the main value drivers.
No verified public auction results are currently available for this model. We publish sale figures only from examples we have confirmed against auction house records, and will update this guide as results appear.
The foundational David Brown Aston, exceptionally rare and historically pivotal.
Our view, not advice. This section is Car Collector International's editorial judgement on where this model sits in the collector market, based on the production, specification and market data set out in this guide. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell and it is not investment advice. Values can fall as well as rise.
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The valuation figures in this guide are for research purposes only and do not constitute financial or investment advice. See our full disclaimer.
