Aston Martin is reaching back to its early postwar racing history for a trio of one-off DB12 S Coupes created to commemorate the 75th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Created by Q by Aston Martin, the three-car VMF Collection takes its inspiration from a trio of DB2 racing cars campaigned by Aston Martin during the early 1950s. Each modern DB12 S is finished in Carbon Black, but receives its own identifying accent color corresponding to one of those historic competition cars.
The three specifications are VMF 63 in Rosso Red, VMF 64 in Speed Yellow and VMF 65 in Ellwood Blue.
While the modern cars commemorate Pebble Beach’s 75th anniversary, the connection goes back to Aston Martin’s 1950 Le Mans effort.
The original VMF 63, VMF 64 and VMF 65 were DB2 competition cars built for the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans. Identified by British registration numbers beginning with VMF, the three cars were subsequently raced by both Aston Martin’s factory team and private entrants during the early 1950s.
One of their simplest identifying characteristics was also one of the most memorable. Each wore its own colored grille treatment, allowing the otherwise similar racing cars to be easily distinguished from one another.
Seventy-five years later, Q by Aston Martin has applied the same basic idea to the DB12 S.
All three cars share Carbon Black exterior paint, providing a common foundation for their individual accent colors. VMF 63 receives Rosso Red detailing, VMF 64 is identified by Speed Yellow and VMF 65 uses Ellwood Blue.
The respective colors are applied to the DB12 S grille vanes and painted carbon-fiber side strakes, creating a direct visual reference to the original competition cars without attempting to make the modern DB12 look like a DB2.
Additional exterior changes include “75” fender roundels, a painted carbon-fiber Aeroblade and a DB2 foil graphic at the rear.
Q has carried each car’s individual color into the cabin as well.
Contrast stitching corresponds with the Rosso Red, Speed Yellow or Ellwood Blue exterior accents, while Aston Martin wings and subtle DB2 silhouettes are embroidered into the front seatbacks. The rear seatbacks receive additional “75” roundel graphics.
Smaller details include a painted start/stop rotary controller and matching painted tips for the paddle shifters. Bespoke “75” sill plaques reference the DB2 competition cars that inspired the collection.
The result is effectively a three-car set rather than a conventional production special edition. Each DB12 S represents one member of the original VMF trio, with its color providing the link between the 1950 competition car and its 2026 counterpart.
The choice of the DB12 S as the foundation is also appropriate. Introduced as the more performance-focused evolution of the DB12, the S occupies the sporting end of Aston Martin’s contemporary grand touring range, much as the competition-prepared DB2s represented the company’s sporting ambitions three quarters of a century ago.
Aston Martin will present the three VMF cars during Monterey Car Week, where the 2026 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance celebrates its 75th running with an emphasis on early 1950s sports cars, racing and performance design.
An original DB2 will also be displayed at the House of Aston Martin during the week, providing historical context for the modern trio.
The VMF Collection won’t be Aston Martin’s only limited-production debut in Monterey. The company will also give its new Vanquish 25 Special Edition its show debut, commemorating 25 years since the introduction of the original V12 Vanquish. The Valhalla will also be displayed alongside the recently introduced DB12 S, Vantage S and DBX S.
For the VMF cars, however, the significance lies in the specificity of the reference.
Rather than simply applying a historic racing color to three modern cars, Q has recreated the identity of three individual Aston Martins: Rosso Red for VMF 63, Speed Yellow for VMF 64 and Ellwood Blue for VMF 65. Set against Carbon Black, those three colors connect the DB12 S directly to a trio of competition cars that were already racing when Pebble Beach held its first Concours 75 years ago.
