Aston Martin DBX: An SUV with the Soul of a Sports Car

I was recently invited to the Park Place Premier Collection of vehicles on Lemmon Avenue here in Dallas to hear the announcement that they have added Aston Martin to their already impressive lineup of exotic cars. As a way to kick off the announcement, there was a reveal of the brand new Aston Martin DBX SUV. This SUV is being marketed by the sports car company as an SUV with the Soul of a Sports Car.

History of the DBX

This is the first SUV for Aston Martin in their 106-year history, so the DBX signals a new era in Aston Martin's vision and pursuit to deliver exceptional performance, style, and usability in a segment the luxury British marquee has previously left unexplored.

Sports Car Picture

The DBX is not just a new vehicle for the luxury brand, but also a new chapter in their book. For the production of the DBX to happen, there had to be the development of a second manufacturing plant in St Athan, Wales. Aston Martin Lagonda President & Group CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer said, I can't emphasize enough how incredibly exciting and significant DBX is for Aston Martin. Through its development alone, this beautiful SUV has already taken the company into new territories and in inspiring directions.

The Power Plant of a Sports Car

The DBX comes standard with an upgraded twin-turbo, 32-valve, quad-overhead-cam, V8, 4L that will produce 544 horsepower and 516 lb. ft. of torque. This engine is a more powerful version of the twin-turbo V8 that has been used with great success in the Aston Martin Vantage and DB11 sports cars. This SUV will accelerate from 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds; and with the active exhaust system, it will deliver the sound and character of a high-end sports car. How's that for a fun daily driver?

To make sure the all-wheel drive system provides you with a quick and smooth ride, the DBX comes with a 9-speed automatic gearbox that is calibrated for the unique demands required of this SUV. The electronic transmission will allow for six different adaptive drive modes depending on the driver's mood and road conditions. There are four on-road options and two off-road options (yes, I said off-road); and if you forget to reset the off-road option back to on-road, the high-tech system will automatically reset the DBX to the default GT mode. Joerg Ross, Chief Engineer for the DBX powertrain is very excited about what has been created and said, With this new iteration of the tremendous twin-turbo V8 combined with the 9-speed torque converter gearbox we have got the perfect blend of smooth and useable with exciting and powerful. It delivers exactly the character we wanted for an Aston Martin SUV. To stop the grocery getter rocket ship, the DBX will have in the front ventilated steel brake discs that are 0410mm in size with 6-piston aluminum calipers and in the rear ventilated steel brake discs that are 0390mm with sliding-piston aluminum calipers.

Sports Car Smooth

The DBX has the ability to limit body roll demonstrating a superior handling experience similar to a high-end sports car and not a lumbering SUV. It has a sophisticated technology based system of adaptive air suspension and dampers that produces proper ride height and maximum ride comfort when transporting a full complement of occupants and their luggage, while still maintaining a highly responsive and engaging dynamic capability.

Luxury Sports Car Interior Styling

When the engineers designed the DBX, they wanted a luxurious vehicle that provided equal space and comfort whether someone was sitting in the front of the vehicle or being driven. The DBX has class-leading headroom and legroom partly because the engineers utilized sports car seats in the front made of full grain leather sourced from long-term partner Bridge of Weir. This choice of seating not only provides the driver and passenger with exceptional support and comfort for long-distance drives, but also provides ample knee and footwell clearance for those sitting in the second row. The DBX will also come with a full-length glass panoramic roof that gives an expansive feel to the interior; but when one has had enough of the summer sun, you can utilize the automotive industries first headliner and electric roof blind that are both designed with Alcantara fabric. This unique design enables complete light obscuration as well as a harmonious design with the headliner and roof blind that will not compromise headroom.

Sleek Sports Car Elegance

When someone looks to buy a sports car, they are not just buying it for its speed and handling capabilities; it is also for those special times like a date night at a fancy restaurant or pulling in to a red carpet charity event. The engineers understood this and made sure to stay true to David Brown's 1947 vision of beauty, performance, handling, and quality. The exterior of the DBX gives a number of subtle nods to the Aston Martin sports cars of the past, but also has new world styling to give the SUV its own breakthrough identity. There is the signature 'DB' grille up front along with the timeless and artistic Aston Martin badge. As you look down the sculptured sides of the DBX, it will lead your eye past the hidden side glass seals on the frameless doors and the glass B-pillar finish that gives the side profile windows, when closed, the look of one sleek, elegant, artistic piece of glass.

Sports Car Handling

It doesn't make much sense to spend all the long hours and months designing and building an SUV that has the soul of a sports car if it doesn't come with a proper set of tires. The DBX is not your normal SUV, so a normal set of SUV tires will not do. The DBX has the potential of 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and a top end speed of 181mph, so it will require a sports car tire to keep up with all of its sports car speed. The tire that has been selected for this DBX is the P Zero Tire by Pirelli. The P Zero is the tire of choice for most high performance oriented and powerful sports cars on the market. The asymmetric tread pattern improves braking performance while enhancing grip and control in both dry and wet conditions. The front tires will be 285/40 YR22 while the rear tires will be 325/35 YR22 giving the DBX sure footed traction as well as an aggressive sports car stance.

Luxury SUV Safety

In closing, I would be doing the DBX an injustice if I didn't briefly discuss its safety aspects. This is, after all, what makes the DBX a unique vehicle. It has the power, speed, and handling of a sports car; but it provides the same class level of features that make SUVs a great safety buy. All great vehicle safety programs start with the brakes and tires, and Aston Martin has provided top-of-the-line quality. I'm not going to discuss every safety item on the list, but I have provided a small list below.

Safety features include:

• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

• Traction Control (TC)

• Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)

• Roll-over Stability Control (RSC)

• Hill Descent Control (HDC)

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

• Speed Limiter

• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection

• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

• Lane Keep Assist (LKA)

• Lane Change Warning (LCW)

• Rear Cross Traffic warning (RCT)

• Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR)

The Aston Martin DBX will likely retail here in the states for roughly $189,900 and should be on dealer lots by Q4 of 2020. It was originally scheduled for dealer lots for Q2 of this year; but with the Covid-19 pandemic, the release date was pushed back.

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Aston Martin | DBX