Aston Martin continues its young tradition of ultra-exclusive small series. And more radically than ever before: The soon to be presented DBR22 dispenses with the roof and windscreen. He is still a concept vehicle, but should go into small series – at a unit price of around 1.8 million euros.
At the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance (August 19-21), Aston Martin is introducing the DRB22, a radical open-cab roadster. The roofless two-seater is powered by a 526 kW/715 hp and 753 Nm strong 5.2-liter V12, which allows the sprint to 100 km/h in around 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 319 km/h. Because the DBR22, billed as a concept, does away with the roof and windshield, occupants are relatively vulnerable to the elements.
Aston Martin looks back on a long tradition of radically open vehicles. The latest example is the Speedster V12, which was presented in 2020 and will be produced in small series from 2021. Like the Speedster, the DBR22 features a long hood and a sloping passenger compartment with scoops behind the seats.
At the same time, the new DBR22 differs significantly in some details. Special features are the radiator grille with a huge opening, which does without the horizontal stripes that are otherwise typical of Aston Martin. Air openings in the front fenders, which reach into the handle-less entry doors, are noticeable on the flanks. There is also a continuous strip of taillights at the rear. The 21-inch wheels in 14-spoke design with central locking are exclusive.
Inside, the DBR22 offers plenty of visible carbon, brown leather and a digital cockpit with a 220-mile speedometer (354 km/h). The tidy center console does not have a shift lever, instead the driving mode of the eight-speed automatic is selected via push buttons. There are paddle shifters behind the steering wheel for manual gear changes.
Although it is officially a concept vehicle, Aston Martin wants to have the DBR22 built in a small series of ten units by the customization department Q at a unit price of around 1.8 million euros.
