Aston Martin AMR1

The Aston Martin AMR1 was a Group C racing car developed in 1989 for Aston Martin to compete in the World Sports Prototype Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It came from Proteus Technology Ltd, a company formed in late 1987 by Peter Livanos, Victor Gauntlett, Richard Williams and Ray Mallock, with Max Boxstrom as lead designer, a chassis and bodywork built by Courtaulds and an engine built by Reeves Callaway from the 5.3 litre V8 of the Virage, ending up as a 6.0 litre unit of 700 hp. Five chassis were built. The cars were underpowered against their rivals but one finished 11th at Le Mans in 1989, and the team finished sixth in the teams championship that season. Development of an AMR2 began, but a change to Group C engine rules led to the closure of Proteus in February 1990, and the AMR1 was Aston Martin's last racing car for fifteen years until the DBR9 of 2005.