Every year at about this time, a flurry of incredible vehicles arrives in Monterey, California. David, Jason, and Matt will all be out there giving you musings about the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. But for now, if you want a taste of the action going on out there, Aston Martin has rolled out the DBR22, a tribute to Aston’s racing past and a preview of what will be a production car for a few lucky Aston fans.
The DBR22 is an amalgamation of two of Aston’s historical racers. Aston says that the concept’s coachbuilt design evokes the DBR1 and DB3S. The Frank Feely-designed DB3S was introduced in 1953 and while it didn’t win Le Mans, it did take first and second at the Tourist Trophy in the World Sports Car Championship.
Another designer, Ted Cutting, then took Feely’s work and refined it into the DBR1. This racer proved to be more successful and Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori piloted one to a win at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. Aston even won the World Sports Car Championship with its DBR1. The company sees these two cars as an important part of its history, and used them for inspiration here.
Here is the DBR1, for reference:
And the DB3S:
This new DBR22 isn’t just a tribute car, as it’s also supposed to celebrate ten years of the company’s Q division.
For the past decade, Aston owners could have their vehicles customized by Q by Aston Martin. Think of Q like an old coachbuilder; Aston owners can have their vehicles customized in a practically limitless number of ways. And yes, that name is indeed a reference to 007’s quirky quartermaster. Q will do everything from custom colors to wild interior materials and designs. A fun example of this is our Q-customized Aston Cygnet. It has a white and pink floral pattern theme complete with accents.
If you have enough money, you can get Q to build an entire one-off just for you. The company has a history of building super low-volume cars for certain customers, and this DBR22 concept is slated to bring about a few more coachbuilt customs. Aston says: “It seems only fitting then, that the DBR22 design concept should also form the basis of a production reality example for an ultra-exclusive number of Q by Aston Martin customers.”
It’s powered by a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 borrowed from the V12 Vantage. It’s good for 705 horsepower and 555 lb-ft torque delivering its punch through an eight-speed auto with paddle shifter. Aston Martin says that the DBR22 can hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and race on to a top speed of 198 mph.
And remember, this all happens without a roof or a windshield, so it’s a full sensory experience. It’ll probably be wise to wear a helmet.
Another neat feature of this car is its 3D printed rear subframe. It consists of aluminum parts that were 3D printed then bonded together. Aston says 3D printing helps it save weight while also giving it the ability to punch out parts for low volume cars like this.
If you’re going to be in Monterey this week, you can see it at Pebble Beach Concours D’ Elegance. It’s on display from Friday the 19th to Sunday the 21st. If you won’t be, join me in looking at this pretty car on the internet.
The DRB22 approaches 4,000 lbs. Who would want to drive such a pig? It is NOTHING like the DBR1 and DB3S, which weighed 1764 lbs and 2015 lbs respectively. Both of the classics also are likely to have had significantly less aerodynamic drag than this monstrosity judging by their peak power and top speeds even though they were made 70 years ago.
This new Aston is a significant downgrade over the classics, in spite of having 70 years better technology at its disposal.
Hard pass.
The actual classics are surely much more exclusive even than this though, so that makes sense in a way. This car isn’t about driving—the entire production run will probably do fewer miles in its lifetime than my daily driver does in a year. They are about exclusivity, and having something that your rich friends don’t.
Basically, obese pigs for rich people that have more money than brains, that will hardly ever drive them. Otherwise known as lawn ornaments.
It would be nice if Aston Martin went back to its roots and made barely street-legal lightweight race cars with state-of-the-art drag reduction again. I can’t think of a single automaker that is actually producing a car along those lines. The McMurtry Spierling is probably the closest we will get.
There’s an old chap with a DBR2 that’s a regular at Caffeine and Carburetors held in Waveny Park in New Canaan, Connecticut. He’s been driving it enthusiastically for DECADES.
New car is neat, but his DBR2 is the one I’d rather have.
Those are beautiful. He’s lucky to have that.
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A helmet? Only if it’s accompanied by goggles and a scarf.
OK, that headline literally made me laugh out loud.
Didn’t they struggle to sell the similarly styled Speedster a few years ago? Seems a bit uninspired now that it’s already been done by Aston Martin as well as Ferrari & McLaren.
McLaren cut production numbers from 399 planned to 149. That’s probably what you remember.
Aston Martin will only make 88 of the Speedster. So they probably will have no problem selling all of those keeping in mind they increased production of the Taraf because of demand a few years ago.
One would think that Aston would have a cadre of wealthy whales who collect all their limited editions, and that they would have focus-grouped this, so to speak, with those most dedicated customers before building it. There’s no reason it shouldn’t sell, if they’ve done their homework.
One would indeed think that, but look back at the Jaguar XJ 220, McLaren F1, Porsche Carrera GT & 918 Spyder – they all failed or struggled to meet sales targets 😉
Ah yes, Q by Aston Martin. I must assume this comes with front pedophile collision control, Earth edge detection, an extra long filler neck for the infinite oil kept hidden from us, and 200mpg carburetor under the hood.
Oh and stiffer anti-roll bars. For nimbler swerving to dodge the Jewish space lasers.
But the lack of roof exposes you to chemtrails.
Hardtop convertible with color-matched anodized tin exterior is, of course, an available option. Requires upward-facing UFO-spotter camera delete.
It has an *invisible* roof, that only really cool people can see. You can see it, right emperor?
This is a pretty car, but no true aristocrat would ever buy one. Good God, it would be as arriviste as buying ones furniture!
“Arriviste” – I’ll be adding this one to my vocabulary!
Cool how the wheels are kind of like the coffin spoke wheels on the Lancia Stratos. Goodness knows we could use more wheels like these.
Perhaps this is a minority opinion, but having seen and heard a DBR1 300 in action, the DBR22 does nothing for me. Like all too many “fresh takes” on classic designs, it evokes more state-of-the-moment design cues than originals to suit me.
And the sound of the big Aston inline-six still makes my hair stand on end. The only V-12s to do that didn’t come from BMW.
It’s very likely a wonderful driver’s car — I admit a certain fondness for windshields, mind you — that, in its strictly limited numbers, will never be driven, but if I’m going to fantasize about driving something British with Le Mans-winning heritage, I”ll take a DBR1. Or Jaguar D-Type.
I agree about these being state-of-the-moment (great phrase) rather than timeless.
These windscreen-less cars just seem to be billionaire collectibles rather than cars to be driven, even more so than ‘regular’ million dollar cars.