Makes › Aston Martin › 2 Litre › 2-Litre Sports (DB1) · Rare production · 1948–1950 Ultra Rare
Aston Martin
2-Litre Sports (DB1)
First postwar David Brown Aston Martin, 15 sold.
Still being researched: identification guide, full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 14 Built
- Years
- 1948–1950
- Engine
- Claude Hill 2-litre four-cylinder push-rod · 2,000 cc / 2 LFactory: 2 L
- Power
- 67.1 kW / 91.2 PSFactory: 90 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 150 km/hFactory: 93 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Not yet verified
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Two Litre Sports was the first post-war Aston Martin, shown at the 1948 London Motor Show, and was later known as the DB1.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionexamples built: 13 open two-seaters plus 1 sold as a chassis only (per the page) | 141 | Factory production | Registry reported |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
The Two Litre Sports was shown at the 1948 London Motor Show, on a chassis close to that of the Atom. It used Claude Hill's 2-litre four-cylinder pushrod engine, and its open two-seater body and weight limited it to a top speed of 93 mph.
Only 14 examples were built: 13 with open two-seater coachwork and one sold as a chassis only. After the DB2 was announced in 1950, the model became known retrospectively as the DB1.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard 2-Litre Sports (DB1).
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Claude Hill 2-litre four-cylinder push-rod1 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Not yet verified |
| Displacement | 2,000 cc / 2 LFactory: 2 L1 Independently researched |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Valvetrain | push rod1 Independently researched |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 67.1 kW / 91.2 PSFactory: 90 hp · converted2 Independently researchedSource states bhp. |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Gears | Not yet verified |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | Not yet verified |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 150 km/hFactory: 93 mph · converted2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Two litre Sports - DB1 Level B Tim Cottingham · Aston Martins.com
- only 14 examples were built
- Claude Hill's 2 litre 4 cylinder push rod engine
- push rod engine
-
2
Two litre Sports - DB1 Level D Aston Martins.com knowledge base
- modest power output of 90 bhp
- maximum speed was only 93 mph
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