2016 ASM DBR1

The car has had one owner, the man who commissioned it new from ASM in 2016. 

The car today has around 7,500 miles under its belt and has stretched its legs on long runs to Le Mans (three times), a recent trip to Angouleme Circuit des Remparts (as both a spectator and a participant in the rally), and numerous other rallies at home and abroad. 

It has made regular appearances at AMOC, Goodwood, Prescott and other events. 

Its trophy case includes the ‘Spirit of the Trip’ Octane Tour 2016, and Car of the Show at the 2018 St. Mawes Classic. 

This beautiful machine is the real deal and is about as far as you can possibly get from a kit-car knocked up in a shed by a bloke called Geoff.  

It is exquisitely constructed, with truly extraordinary attention to detail, and is a triumph of exemplary engineering and craftmanship in every mechanical, dynamic and cosmetic respect. 

The car is powered by a 3.8 litre Jaguar XK engine rebuilt to original specification in 2016 and tested to 232 bhp and 325 Nm torque. 

The engine is fitted with Aston Martin-esque cam covers and features triple Weber carburettors with an electronic multiport injection system. 

The power is fed through a Borg Warner T5 5-speed gearbox with chromed ‘H’ gate to a Quaife limited slip differential. 

So, what happens when you put all this power in a car that weighs less than Twiggy wringing wet? 

You get to have a great deal of absolutely first-class, wind-in-your-hair pedigree motoring fun. 

This car is properly quick and sets off like a nervous cheetah at a firework display when asked to do so on road or track. 

But it is also possessed of utterly charming road manners and feels perfectly balanced, neutral, planted and agile at all times. 

The steering is optimally quick and weighted; the brakes are powerful and progressive; the gearchange is slick, positive and notchy. 

It really is very impressive indeed. 

A 14 gallon fuel tank gives the car a range of over 300 miles, typically returning around 22mpg on a run. 

It’s even comfortable, and a surprisingly good luggage capacity means the car is well-suited for long-distance touring – provided, of course, that you pack the right kit for driving an open car in all sorts of weather. 

The alloy body is attached to the chassis using the superleggera method of supporting tubework. The front wings and 'bonnet' are composite.

It is free of any dinks or dents than we can see, and the shut-lines and panel gaps are crisp, consistent and even. 

The car is ‘Aston Racing Green’ with a yellow nose highlight and features white spot decals and a number of tour stickers. 

All of it is in excellent condition. 

The car sits on standard 16in steel wire wheels with Avon higher-profile radial tyres and Borrani-type 3-eared spinners. The wheels are in very good order and the tyres look to have plenty of life and service left in them. 

(The vendor also has a set of Turrino alloy wire wheels with Michelin higher-profile radial tyres, and these might be available through a separate negotiation.) 

There are one or two stone chips around the nose of the car and on the bonnet, and there are some cracks to the paint at the base of the windscreen and in the lip of the boot lid recess, plus some hairline splits to the paint atop the o/s/f wing. 

We also noticed a few small scuffs and scrapes where the tonneau affixes to the bodywork behind the seats and at the top of the o/s/r wing.

The interior of this splendid vehicle is a delight. 

Exposed aluminium sections give the nod to the car’s sporting prowess and capability, as do the four-point Sabelt harnesses. 

The seats and driver’s headrest are green leather with original style green basket weave inserts. 

They are beautiful, comfortable and supportive in equal measure. 

Everything that falls to hand is exquisitely engineered and finished. 

The 16” wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel is a haptic pleasure, as is the polished H-gate gear lever. 

The dashboard with its distressed green and black crackle-effect finish is particularly stylish and distinctive, in our opinion, and adds a real air of period-feel authenticity to the interior ambience. 

The dashboard features a large rev-counter, speedo, oil and water temperature gauges, oil pressure and fuel gauges, and there is a pair of charming Heuer clock/stopwatch gauges to the left.  

As far as we and the vendor are aware, all switches, toggles, dials and instruments do (although the second hand on the stopwatch needs attention) what they’re supposed to do. 

The boot is clean, tidy and contains a tonneau cover (in excellent condition) and some tools. 

As our American cousins would say, this car has been ‘built to the hilt’. 

Everything is solid, high-quality, built for purpose, and designed and installed without compromise or concern for cost. 

The stunning engine bay is jewel-like in detail and purposeful in appearance. The braided electrical cables and thermal exhaust/manifold wrap look just right, and the engine looks good enough to merit a 5-star food hygiene rating.  

Needless to say, the car’s undersides look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and we saw nothing to make us tut or shake our heads.  

The car has been maintained and serviced from new by ASM and Alan Collins of Maldon, Essex.  

Bills, receipts and invoices attesting to the work carried out can be seen in the documents section. 

The car comes with an MoT that’s valid until 15th July 2025. Any advisories have been addressed. 

It also comes with various build sheets from ASM and correspondence between them and the vendor. 

With curves that would put Jessica Rabbit to shame and levels of engineering integrity that mark it out as being in a class above most other replicas and homages, this ASM R1 is a simply stunning vehicle to behold and, above all, to drive. 

It does everything brilliantly, it looks and sounds fabulous, and it will win hearts and minds wherever you go – whether that’s Le Mans or just down to the Dog & Duck on a lazy summer afternoon. 

It’s really very special indeed. 

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £110,000 - £140,000.  

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.