One to Buy: ex-works 1 of 5 1989 Aston AMR-1
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The AMR-1 was conceived for Aston Martin’s 1989 World Sportscar Championship challenge. It marked the company’s official return to top flight prototype racing after an absence of 26 years.
The odd engine supply deal had occurred in that time (along with some support for the Nimrod programme), but not since the DP212, DP214 and DP215 last ran in 1963 had Aston Martin appeared with its own complete works car.
Against the mighty Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar works teams and a legion of customer Porsche 962s, the AMR-1’s debut campaign saw it quickly developed to the point that, by the end of the season the team was optimistic the AMR-2 would be a contender for race wins in 1990.
Unfortunately, the AMR-2 never appeared as parent company Ford pulled the plug on any further racing – they did not want Aston Martin competing against Jaguar who was also part of the Blue Oval portfolio.
Five examples of the AMR-1 were built with each progressively updated over the last.
The penultimate example, German-domiciled chassis 04, is currently being represented by RMD in Belgium.
One of four AMR-1s to go racing (chassis 02 was destroyed testing), chassis 04 finished fourth on its debut at the Brands Hatch World Sportscar Championship race in 1989. This was followed by eighth at the Nurburgring, sixth at Donington and a DNF at Spa.
Today it is offered in superb condition throughout with a large spares package.
