<< Prev Page 2 of 2 The lightweight rolling chassis was clothed in an all-new coupe bodywork. The very elegant lines were penned by Ted Cutting, who had also been responsible for the lines of the Le Mans winning DBR1. Specifically designed for Le Mans' long straights, the body featured a slippery nose with covered headlights and the rear wheels were partially covered to further reduce drag. It was constructed in a magnesium-aluminium alloy and as a result the DP212 tipped the scales at just 980 kg.
Built at the very last minute, there was only limited time available to test and develop the car ahead of its debut at Le Mans. Aston Martin hired BRM works Formula 1 drivers Graham Hill and Richie Ginther to drive the DP212 at what was the first works competition effort since 1959. Hill was fourth fastest in practice and briefly grabbed the lead on the opening lap. He was in the lead again before the first pit stop but then was delayed due to a dynamo failure. Sadly, the race ended after 79 laps when a raptured oil line resulted in a piston failure.
Despite the early retirement, the Le Mans effort was promising particularly considering how new the car was. The biggest problem discovered at Le Mans was high speed stability and this issue was cured by cutting off a section of the rear bodywork, creating a 'Kamm' tail. Buoyed by the DP212's performance in 1962, Aston Martin produced three new Project cars for the following year; the one-off DP215 for the experimental class and a pair of slightly more docile DP214s that ran in the GT class.
While the DP215 was being readied in the factory, the unique DP212 was used once more in 1963 for the Le Mans Test. It was subsequently retired from works duty and soon after sold. It has since continued to be raced with considerable success with a victory in the blue ribband Goodwood Revival Tourist Trophy in 2013 as the absolute highlight. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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The lightweight rolling chassis was clothed in an all-new coupe bodywork. The very elegant lines were penned by Ted Cutting, who had also been responsible for the lines of the Le Mans winning DBR1. Specifically designed for Le Mans' long straights, the body featured a slippery nose with covered headlights and the rear wheels were partially covered to further reduce drag. It was constructed in a magnesium-aluminium alloy and as a result the DP212 tipped the scales at just 980 kg.