Aston Martin DB3

The Aston Martin DB3 was a sports racing car built in the early 1950s, designed specially for racing even though it used some DB2 parts. The original work was done by the former Auto Union engineer Eberan von Eberhorst. A new V12 was planned but the money had to go into making the car competitive, so it was introduced in 1951 with the 133 hp 2.6 litre Lagonda straight-six from the DB2 Vantage. It was unsuccessful, and a 2.9 litre engine of 163 hp followed in June 1952. The cars took second, third and fourth at Silverstone in May 1952 behind a Jaguar C-Type, won the Goodwood nine-hour race, and in 1953 finished second at Sebring and fifth in the Mille Miglia. Ten were made between 1951 and 1953, five for the works and five for customers, and the DB3S replaced it.