1940 Aston Martin Speed Model Type C

Chassis No.    G40/726/U
2-litre four cylinder engine
Tank: 17 gallons (equals to 77,3 litres)
Consumption: 20 – 24 miles per gallon

A curious blend of ancient and modern: The C-Type 2-Seater

In the mid-1930s, Aston Martin, under the technical and design direction of Augustus Bert Bertelli, was one of the most accomplished British sports brands. The first Aston Martin Speed C-Type was shown at the Earls Court Motor Show (London) in 1938. It was characterized by a shield-shaped radiator grille and side-mounted lamps and attracted a great deal of attention, albeit controversial. The following six examples had a revised front end with a rounded radiator grille and headlights (single or double) mounted behind the oval radiator grille. Our model cars show two of these six C-Types. These streamlined Aston Martins were true hundred-mile cars, and indeed Arthur Sutherland, the owner of Aston Martin at the time, achieved 112 miles per hour at Brookland, using oversized tires and an enclosed passenger compartment. The price of a C-Type was £775, equivalent to around €120,000 in today's money. The last C-Type finally found a new owner just before Christmas 1940. It was to be the last brand-new Aston Martin to be sold for many years due to the Second World War. Tractor manufacturer David Brown Limited bought Aston Martin in 1947, the same year that Lagonda, one of the most innovative car manufacturers of its time, was bought by Aston Martin.

The Aston Martin 2-Litre Sports was the first car that Aston Martin produced from 1948 to 1950 under the new owner David Brown. Only 14 were built (13 with bodywork and 1 with chassis only). The Aston Martin 2-Litre Sports was only renamed DB1 after the introduction of its successor, the Aston Martin DB2 with the in-line six-cylinder engine from Lagonda. DB are the initials for David Braun. The famous Aston Martin DB series was thus created and remains world-famous to this day!