Aston Martin has revealed a new, open-cockpit, two-seat concept, the DBR22 - inspired by the firm's sports cars from the fifties - ahead of an official debut at Pebble Beach in California later this week.
Not dissimilar in form and ultra-exclusive function to the Ferrari SP1 and SP2 Monza from a few years back, the DBR22 was built by 'Q by Aston Martin', the company's bespoke projects and customisation division to celebrate its own 10th birthday.
Racing heritage
The DBR22's design is partially inspired by the Aston Martin DB3S and DBR1, the former a passably successful racer and the latter an incredibly beautiful car that most famously took victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1959 in the hands of Carroll Shelby (before he gave up racing due to a heart condition) and Roy Salvadori.
Some of the heritage design cues present on the DBR22 include just a single vertical bar in the front air intake (which is too minimal to be truly called a grille) like that seen on the DBR1. Also reminiscent of its forebears is the curve of the wings, the slope of the long bonnet and the fairings behind the driver and passenger. The deep racing green colour is also reminiscent of Aston's old racers.
Thoroughly modern mill
Beyond some of those design elements though, the DBR22 is not a retro pastiche and is thoroughly modern where it counts, namely under the bonnet, where sits a 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine. The 715hp and 753Nm of torque generated by that unit are enough to propel the DBR22 from 0-100km/h in just about 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 319km/h, with that power being sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic gearbox.
Adding to the DBR22's performance is the fact that it's apparently quite light (though Aston hasn't issued the figure) thanks to the carbon-fibre bodywork and the bonded aluminium subframes made from 3D-printed components.
The interior is a blend of the traditionalist and the modern with swathes of old-fashioned leather, but also heavy use of exposed carbon fibre, such as atop the door cappings and in the structure of the seats. A modern infotainment screen is also present.
"Drive is just as addictive as it looks"
"Technology is pivotal in the construction of DBR22, with extensive use of carbon fibre throughout, and the use of 3D printing for the manufacture of a structural component," said Aston's newly appointed Chief Technology Officer, Roberto Fedeli.
"As such, DBR22 showcases Aston Martin's unique capabilities, with world-class design combined with an agile, intelligent approach to engineering and production. For a car that was designed to celebrate the ultimate bespoke customisation service, the engineering developments mean DBR22 truly has the dynamic theatre to match, ensuring the drive is just as addictive as its looks."
Fedeli arrived at Aston Martin recently alongside a new CEO, ex-Ferrari boss, Amedeo Felisa, who succeeded Tobias Moers at the helm of the financially struggling carmaker.
Despite being described as a "concept", the DBR22 will enter limited production with "an ultra-exclusive number" to be built by Q by Aston Martin.