Aston Martin unveils its topless DBR22 stunner

Aston Martin has chosen this weekend’s 2022 Monterey Car Week in Pebble Beach, California, to unveil the striking DBR22 for the first time.

The V12-engined two-seater coach-built design concept celebrates the 109-year old British brand’s bloodline of open-cockpit sports racers.

With nothing but the slipstream between the driver and a 12-cylinder howl, the DBR22 has been created to be an intense sensory experience. 

The DBR22 is the latest in a line of projects handled by in-house bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin, which this year celebrates a decade of building exclusive cars for the world’s most discerning customers. Iconic one-off commissions such as Aston Martin Victor, and low volume specials such as Vulcan (limited to 24 examples worldwide), and Vantage V600 (limited to just 14) are examples of these collaborations.

Blending the classic art of coach building with advanced materials and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, DBR22 is a mix of design purity, engineering precision and performance.

The two-seater open-cockpit sports car is a stylistic nod to the 1953 Aston Martin DB3S and the 1959 DBR1.

The DB3S became known for its curves and aerodynamic efficiency and established the brand as a serious Le Mans contender. The DBR1, known as the ultimate Aston Martin sports car, became one of the most influential Aston Martins of all time — winning a number of notable races, the most famous being Le Mans in 1959, driven by Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori.

The DBR22 design concept showcases a completely new body from the designers at Aston Martin. Its coach-built form is created from a minimal number of body panels to create a more sculpted, muscular presence. 

A noteworthy feature is the new front grille which incorporates a unique carbon fibre design in place of the usual veins seen on series production Aston Martins. This design takes inspiration directly from the DBR1 and DB3S.

The bonnet features a dramatic horseshoe vent, recessed to aid airflow from the 5.2l V12 twin-turbo engine which has outputs of 526kW and 753Nm — enough for a claimed 319km/h top speed.

The DBR22 design concept also showcases a bespoke paint colour developed specifically for the occasion using ‘Paint to Sample’ — an exclusive option available through Q by Aston Martin.

The DBR22’s cockpit fuses the classic and contemporary with extensive use of leather and exposed carbon fibre. Though taking inspiration from Aston Martin’s competition cars, the DBR22 is no bare-bones racer inside.

Behind the seats are twin nacelles which smooth the airflow behind the driver and passenger’s heads. At the rear, DBR22 design concept has a horizontal light graphic courtesy of a slim, full-width light bar. Beneath it sits a perforated panel to allow hot air to exit the tail.

“DBR22 is a hot-blooded, purebred Aston Martin sports car full of speed, agility and spirit, and a machine that we think will be the basis of many of tomorrow’s icons,” says Marek Reichman, Aston Martin chief creative officer.

The DBR22 design concept will be on display at Pebble Beach Concours D’ Elegance in California from August 19 to 21.