Aston Martin is celebrating a winning weekend as the exceptional new Aston Martin DBR22 design concept has been declared Best of Show at the respected Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille – claiming the coveted Concours d’Élégance Award.

Barely a month after its global debut at the prestigious Monterey Car Week, the spectacular DBR22 – a V12-engined two-seater coach-built design concept created to celebrate the marque’s extraordinary bloodline of open-cockpit sports racers – is already demonstrating its importance with the headline-grabbing win in France.

Awarded by jury members Anne Asensio, Design Experience Vice President at Dassault Systems; Cyril Duval, Le Point Group Counsellor; and Michael Bock, Former Head of Mercedes-Benz-Classic, the blue riband Best of Show Concours d’Élégance title reflects the Aston Martin design concept’s immediate and significant impact on the luxury car world.

The win is the first for Aston Martin since the inception of this Concours d’Élégance in 2014, and represents a major achievement for the historic British marque.

The creation of the DBR22 design concept is the latest in a long line of extraordinary projects expertly 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 and showcases a completely new body from the designers at Aston Martin. Its exceptional coach-built form is created from a minimal number of body panels to deliver a sculpted, muscular presence.  The result: a smooth and effortless blend of exceptional drama and elegance, with several unique design features.

Marek Reichman, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin said: “Winning the Chantilly Concours d’Élégance for the first time with our DBR22 design concept is, without doubt, a special honour for Aston Martin.

“What was important to us in the design of DBR22 was to express a future in the here and now. The jury have clearly recognised our efforts to evolve the surfaces, proportions and shapes and to break new ground with this car.

“By combining advanced processes, technologies and materials, we have succeeded in modernising our racing line and creating a new pedigree. The DBR22 is a hot-blooded, thoroughbred Aston Martin sports car full of speed, agility and temperament that we believe will form the basis for our icons of tomorrow.”