After the Bentley of SUVs, another British brand is getting ready to launch the Aston Martin of SUVs. We are talking about the DBX, which arrived today at the Goodwood Festival of Speed for its dynamic debut.
The pre-production prototype was wearing its usual camouflage, with corporate sponsorship similar to a race car. This is nothing we haven't seen before, but while the DBX was going up the hill, we realized the SUV invasion is almost over. With the exception of Ferrari, all the iconic brands have made this painful but necessary transition.
The design is certainly holding us back from loving the DBX. The traditional elements of an Aston Martin sports look awkwardly small on an SUV, a bit like those of the Maserati Levante. Still, not everybody can get away with huge grilles, like BMW and Mercedes. And maybe she will grow on us, a bit like the Bentayga.
The first SUV in Aston history will be launched next year and be made at the new factory in Athan, which will also assemble the Lagonda electric model. The engine you hear over the Goodwood crowd is most likely the throaty 4-liter V8 borrowed from the Germans at AMG.
The output isn't known right now and could come in anywhere from about 450 to 600 horsepower, though based on the sound, we suspect it's still the same as in the V8 Vantage. Further down the line, the company is expected to launch a V12 version or even a plug-in hybrid.
Of course, the biggest difference between the DBX and Vantage or DB11 is the AWD. Usually, Astons don't have all-paw traction, which makes them slower in a sprint. Even so, the SUV is expected to spend much of its available power and torque at the rear wheels to ensure its driver is having fun.
However, volumes will still be pretty low, since Aston needs to keep under the 8,000 total units per year threshold. Keeping this in mind, it really doesn't matter if this is faster than a Lamborghini Urus and more luxurious than a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. It just needs a few thousand customers to make profits and keep the bosses happy.
Even so, most of the creativity from the 2015 concept is gone. That thing had four electric motors, KERS and rear-view cameras, not to mention it looked more like a jacked-up coupe than an SUV.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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