Monterey Car Week is approaching. And Aston Martin announced it will debut the DBR22. It’s a two-seater open cockpit concept vehicle that celebrates the 10th anniversary of Aston Martin’s Q by Aston Maritn bespoke division and harkens back to iconic open race cars like the DBR1 that Carroll Shelby helped drive to a Le Mans 1 in 1959.
The DBR22 gets the engine from the V12 Vantage, a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 paired with an eight-speed, paddle-shifted automatic. The engine puts out 705 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque. Aston Martin says the DBR22 will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and achieve a top speed of 198 mph.
The vehicle features a coach-built carbon fiber bodywork — yes, no roof or windshield. Distinctive features include a custom carbon fiber grille and a horseshoe vent to cool the engine. The DBR22 rides on exclusive 14-spoke 21-inch alloy wheels.
The paint may look like familiar Aston Martin racing green. But it’s a bespoke paint color produced by Q by Aston Martin’s Paint by Sample service. And Aston Martin did not give the DBR22 a stripped-down race car interior. Leather from “supple, aromatic hides” joins the exposed carbon fiber.
The DRB22 also includes a new rear subframe built from 3D-printed aluminum parts. The technology allows for weight savings without a reduction in stiffness. Like Cadillac’s V-Series Blackwing sedans, 3D printing makes it easier and cheaper to produce parts for limited-run vehicles like the DRB22 because you don’t have to build tooling.
Aston Martin says the DBR22 will be put into production or, as they term it, “form the basis of a production reality example for an ultra-exclusive number of Q by Aston Martin customers.” Each of whom will be subjected to a relentless barrage of not so exclusive “X.X million and they couldn’t throw in a windshield?” jokes.
