The brand has nevertheless no choice : two cars crashed at Le Mans in 1953. Brown restitutes his DB3S which receives a more conventional aluminum body for maintaining the presence of Aston Martin in the competitions.
DB3S-5 achieves a great racing success alternatively for Aston Martin and for private teams. It will be driven by Stirling Moss and Graham Hill among others. At Silverstone in 1956, Moss requests the car but can not use it because it belongs to Roy Salvadori. Salvadori wins the race and Moss is upset.
In 1958, a new owner entrusts DB3S-5 to a mechanic for the Gosport Speed Trials. Meanwhile the owner flirts with the girlfriend of the driver. The young man makes a very good performance but does not lift off the throttle and throws the car into the sea in a perhaps unique case of an achieved suicide in car competition.
The chassis is saved but the bodywork must be changed. DB3S-5 continues its romantic adventures by playing a star role in 1960 in the comedy film significantly titled School for Scoundrels.
DB3S-5 has been carefully restored but can no longer claim for a high level of authenticity. This car with a prestigious and eventful history is estimated £ 6M for sale by Bonhams on May 21 in the Aston Martin works at Newport Pagnell, lot 244.
unsold
The 1954 #AstonMartin #DB3S: Car of the silver screen raced by the great #StirlingMoss: https://t.co/6dFV71hNjG pic.twitter.com/KCbgKCARHk
— BONHAMS (@bonhams1793) April 12, 2016