A magnificent 1923 Aston Martin Razor Blade for sale

An exceptional pre-war Aston Martin racing car has gone on sale in the UK.

Photo by: Matt Howell

By: Hugo Pommier

Dec 15, 2024 at 2:27am ET

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Ecurie Bertelli has decided to offer for sale a unique 1923 Aston Martin Razor Blade. It is one of the earliest examples of aerodynamic design. Formerly part of the Brooklands Museum collection and sole owner since the 1980s, this exceptional car is now coming to market.

Ecurie Bertelli, the world's leading specialist in pre-war Aston Martin cars, has brought the 1923 Aston Martin Razor Blade to market for the first time since the 1980s. The complete racing car was originally built to break the one-hour speed record for 'lightweight cars', with an emphasis on aerodynamics, reduced cross-section and light weight.

The body of the Razor Blade was manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. The Razor Blade is considered to be the narrowest racing car ever built, hence its unique name. This narrowness is reinforced by a sloping chassis, with a much narrower rear end, giving it distinctive looks and driving characteristics.

The Razor Blade attempted to break the record - held by AC Cars - in 1923 at Brooklands. Although it was able to maintain a record pace, the attempt was eventually abandoned after the racing car repeatedly lost its front outer tyre at speeds in excess of 99 mph. Later in the year, however, the Razor Blade was able to set a new record for the standing start kilometre and mile. It continued to enjoy racing success throughout the 1920s.

A Bamford and Martin car, chassis number 1915, the Razor Blade's sleek bodywork conceals a bespoke racing engine, originally developed for the 1922 French Grand Prix. The four-cylinder, double overhead camshaft, 16-valve engine produced 55 bhp and was derived from half of a Ballot eight-cylinder three-litre engine.

It raced regularly until the 1950s, when it was sold to the Harrah Motor Museum in the United States, which later became the National Automobile Museum. During this period, it was brought back to the UK and entrusted to the Brooklands Museum, its owner occasionally taking it out on the track. It has already competed at the Goodwood FoS and is currently able to take part in a number of events, including the VSCC, AMOC and Shuttleworth events. Perhaps most surprisingly, the Razor Blade is road registered and carries the plate XO9958.

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