• Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, leads the field with a DB 2/4 Mark II
• Teams from Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland are taking part
• Automotive style icons and rarities from the British sports car brand on the starting line
Frankfurt am Main / Gröbming (Austria), 13th July 2011. Joining a starting field of an unprecedented scope, Aston Martin is taking part in a rally for historic vehicles: in all, ten cars from the British sports car brand are lining up at the start of the "Ennstal Classic 2011". Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, is leading the teams in a DB2/4 Mark II when the classic car event starts on Wednesday 13th July 2011, in Gröbming, Kärnten.
"The Ennstal Classic is one of the most well-known motor sports events of all time. Our commitment to this classic event is also an illustration of our close ties to the Austrian market, a market which is very important to us, and it coincides with the opening of our new Aston Martin dealership in Vienna", explains Bez.
The Aston Martin teams come from Austria, Germany, England and Switzerland. They are joining a whole host of automotive style icons and rarities on the starting line. Ulrich Bez will be behind the wheel of a DB 2/4 Mark II, only 199 of which were ever produced. This coupé from his private collection, built in 1956, produces 140 hp. A true rarity is a DB3 dating back to 1952. Only ten of these 180 hp sports cars were built. There is also a Lagonda Rapide, which falls into the same category. Only 55 of this four-door saloon model (282 hp) from 1963 left the production line, 48 of which are still in existence. Another classic vehicle is the DB5, which has taken part in the Ennstal Classic three times. Also joining the race is a DB6, which used to be owned by former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. The cars are driven by customers and owners of vintage models, with whom Aston Martin has been closely linked for many years.
In addition to the ten race reams participating under the Aston Martin company banner, there is also a wealth of other Aston Martin and Lagonda classics taking part privately.
225 teams from 15 nations are taking part in this year's "Ennstal Classic" event, representing a total of 50 marques. Amongst the many attendees will be racing greats such as Sir Stirling Moss, Nigel Mansell, Jochen Mass, Jutta Kleinschmidt and Marc Surer. On Thursday 14th July, they will set out from Gröbming on a 381-kilometre points course with ten special challenges – one of which takes place on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The route takes the drivers through Sölkpass, Radstädter Tauern and Nockalm-Straße and back to Gröbming. On Friday 15th July, there is a 512-kilometre "marathon" from Gröbming to Schladming. The route goes through Aich, Bad Ischl, Bad Mittendorf, Steyr and Rottenmann.
Aston Martin models taking part in the "Ennstal Classic":
Aston Martin DB 2/4, built in 1954 (Germany); Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mark II, built in 1956 (Germany); Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mark III, built in 1958 (Austria); Aston Martin DB 2/4 DHC, built in 1955, (Switzerland); Aston Martin DB3, built in 1952 (Germany); Aston Martin DB5, built in 1964 (Germany); Aston Martin DB5, built in 1965 (England); Aston Martin DB5, built in 1965 (England); Aston Martin DB6, built in 1966 (Germany); Lagonda Rapide, built in 1963 (Switzerland).