British muscle or elegant GT – The car that spans genres and classes.
Brenner
ASTON MARTIN DBS
CLIENT NEEDS
Fashion the ultimate British muscle car.
A mile munching V8 bruiser, true to the original ethos but with underpinnings that back up the stunning GT car looks.
A total interior redesign that strongly references Aston design heritage but with material choices and attention to detail that the original price point wouldn’t allow.
OUR SOLUTION
With Aston’s engineering being decidedly ‘of the era’ we opted to design our own chassis based around the very well proven Corvette C7 platform.
Reliable, lightweight and compact muscle also comes from Chevrolet in the form of an LT1 direct-injection V8, which we mated to the Tremec 6 speed manual transmission.
The original aluminium outer bodywork is extensively restored and combined with some custom shaping in the valances to refine the original look.
A totally scratch-designed, fully CAD modelled interior provides a comfortable and function space for the occupants with a healthy nod to the original Aston design only with high quality materials.
Under the skin lies up-to-date electronics and a servo-controlled air conditioning system
KEY FACTS
- Double wishbone, independent suspension all round
- 460bhp direct injection 6.2L all-alloy V8 engine
- Air conditioning
- Aluminium bodywork
- 6 speed manual transmission
THINKING OF STARTING A PROJECT? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS...Picking the “best-looking” car from the extensive back catalogue of Aston Martin is, frankly, a mug’s errand. After all, this is the company responsible for icons such as the DBR1 (the only Browns Lane creation to win Le Mans outright), the DB4 GT Zagato, and of course the DB5—perhaps the most iconic film car of them all, chosen for Bond duty as much for its looks as its performance.
Aston Martin’s back catalogue is as compelling as it is exotic, and its cars have long been on the Retropower radar. While models like those above have their champions within the team, it is the William Towns-designed Astons we’ve always admired most. The DBS, Vantage, and V8 Vantage helped redefine Aston Martin in the 1970s and beyond, shifting away from flowing, curvaceous forms toward something more angular, assertive, and deliberately menacing.
It is therefore no surprise that we leapt at the opportunity to build a one-off William Towns Aston when it arose in early 2024. The car in question was a mid-1970s Aston Martin DBS, with a deceptively simple brief: create a unique grand tourer that builds on the DBS’s original promise—more power, greater refinement, and the ability to cross continents in comfort and style.
Fast forward several months, and significant progress has already been made. The car arrived in October 2024, after which we immediately carried out a full 3D scan—inside and out. This provided a dimensionally accurate digital foundation for the CAD work that would follow, as we begin planning a series of carefully considered bodywork revisions.
George and Luke have since led the CAD development, and the exterior form of what is now known as Project Brenner has already begun to take shape digitally.
At this stage, no composite work can begin. The original body requires extensive restoration first. Like many Astons of this era, the DBS is built around a semi-monocoque structure with aluminium panels clinched and riveted to a central tub: lightweight and stiff when new, but heavily affected by five decades of British weather.
Since strip-down, Matt has been working continuously on the chassis and body structure. Key focus areas include the front end – wheel arches and wing trailing edges – and the rear three-quarters, both requiring significant metalwork and restoration.
Where panels are beyond repair, we have turned to specialist partners within the UK’s classic and performance car sector, including ASR Motor Body Engineering in Irchester, Northamptonshire.
Engine choice is always a topic that divides opinion, and Project Brenner will be no exception.
After consultation with the owner, we selected the LT1 V8 – successor to GM’s LS family and first seen in the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro. It is proven, compact, and capable of strong outputs of 450 bhp and beyond, making it an ideal foundation for a high-performance grand tourer.
Importantly, it also fits the philosophy of the build. The DBS was always intended as a refined, long-distance GT, and Aston Martin itself later introduced V8 variants to the line-up. In that context, a modern, similarly configured V8 feels entirely appropriate.
Our collaboration with GM has also unlocked access to Chevrolet’s CAD database via the SEMA programme. This allows us to design a fully bespoke chassis using proven components, including Corvette C7 suspension uprights, wishbones, hubs, and brakes, alongside a 2015 Camaro rear end and differential, all integrated into our own architecture.
The interior will be entirely bespoke and developed with long-distance comfort as the guiding principle. While it is too early to share detailed concepts, the cabin will feature high-quality materials, custom billet components, and the expertise of our in-house trimming team, James and Ellie. More on their endeavours as this build reaches that stage of its development.
The goal is a space that complements the car’s grand touring intent—refined, functional, and beautifully resolved.
Project Brenner is still in its formative stages, but progress is already well underway. For ongoing updates, follow our social media channels or subscribe to our YouTube series, Retropower Uncut, which airs weekly every Sunday at 7pm.
We look forward to sharing the next stages of this ambitious build, and hearing your thoughts along the way.
