Under the reign of its current CEO Andy Palmer, Aston Martin is in the midst of the Second Century Plan, a revival process that has seen the automaker seriously strengthening its position. And while we've already seen the Vantage (entry-level model), the DB11 (Grand Tourer) and the DBS Superleggera (Super-GT) and it's too early to discuss the 2020-debuting mid-engined Vanquish, it is now time to talk about a first in the Gaydon lineup, namely the DBX SUV.
The Brits made their crossover intentions clear when revealing the DBX Concept back in 2015, but we'll have to wait until next year to meet the production versions of the SUV.
Nevertheless, Aston Martin has now thrown an official spy video at us, one that shows the DBX throwing some land around on the gravel stages of the Wales Rally GB. The location hasn't been chosen randomly, since the SUV will be built at the company's new plant in ST Athan, Wales, which is also set to become the home of Aston Martin electrification.
En route to production, the DBX should also receive a special nameplate. And since the carmaker has trademarked the Varekai name, this could be it.
As expected, the SUV has grown another pair of doors, but it maintains the elegant silhouette of the concept car. At least for now, then the whole car is covered in camouflage, the dominant styling element is its Vantage-like front grille.
Expect the DBX to debut with a gas engine and receive a hybrid powertrain later on, with the second possibly coming from Mercedes-Benz.
The DBX is set to ride on an Aston Martin platform. A modular architecture that will be shared with the future Lagonda SUV and sedan models. However, while the Lagonda SUV is expected to receive all-electric power, it's unlikely that Aston Martin will offer an EV version of the DBX.
As for the internal combustion engines, the newcomer should receive both Aston Martin's 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 and Mercedes-AMG's 4.0L TT V8.
Aston Martin returned to profit last year and will debut on the stock market soon. And the fact that the company could once again be in the black without an SUV is remarkable - given the current appetite for high-riding vehicles, the DBX will become the company's best-seller, delivering a financial boom for the automaker.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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