Photo: Aston Martin
After acquiring the former Royal Air Force compound at St Athan from the Ministry of Defence in February 2016, Aston Martin started to convert the facility into an assembly plant in December 2016. Fast-forward to the present day, and phase two of the project has been completed according to the British automaker.
The third and final part of the factory’s preparation is now underway, with Aston Martin confirming that production of the automaker’s first sport utility vehicle will begin in late 2019. What that means is, the DBX concept-inspired SUV with seating for at least four people will arrive at authorized dealers for the 2020 model year.
Matt Becker, the chief engineer of Aston Martin, said on the sidelines of the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed that the DBX is its own thing, riding on “a completely new platform.” Knowing the limited budget of the British automaker, it is more likely for the DBX to ride on a modified version of the Second Century platform.
Taking its name from the Second Century plan from 2015, the vehicle architecture is currently used by the DB11, Vantage, and DB11-based DBS Superleggera. In total, Aston Martin will have introduced “seven new models” by the end of the plan.
Given this information, Becker added that the DBX is inspired from a technical standpoint by Aston Martin’s other new models. The chief engineer also said that the suspension is on a different level, most likely referring to a system that can transition from a luxury car-like ride to a no-holds-barred sport setting at the touch of a button.
There’s still no consensus on the means of propulsion for the DBX, but given the underpinnings, the Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and Aston Martin 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 are the most likely candidates for the engine bay. According to chief executive officer Andy Palmer, the DBX won’t be offered with a plug-in hybrid option as it was rumored not that long ago.
Of the total workforce tasked with building the DBX in South Wales, 150 people have been employed so far. The St Athan facility is believed to “bring up to 750 new employment opportunities” to the region. For the time being, the company employs more than 2,700 people worldwide.
Matt Becker, the chief engineer of Aston Martin, said on the sidelines of the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed that the DBX is its own thing, riding on “a completely new platform.” Knowing the limited budget of the British automaker, it is more likely for the DBX to ride on a modified version of the Second Century platform.
Taking its name from the Second Century plan from 2015, the vehicle architecture is currently used by the DB11, Vantage, and DB11-based DBS Superleggera. In total, Aston Martin will have introduced “seven new models” by the end of the plan.
Given this information, Becker added that the DBX is inspired from a technical standpoint by Aston Martin’s other new models. The chief engineer also said that the suspension is on a different level, most likely referring to a system that can transition from a luxury car-like ride to a no-holds-barred sport setting at the touch of a button.
There’s still no consensus on the means of propulsion for the DBX, but given the underpinnings, the Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and Aston Martin 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 are the most likely candidates for the engine bay. According to chief executive officer Andy Palmer, the DBX won’t be offered with a plug-in hybrid option as it was rumored not that long ago.
Of the total workforce tasked with building the DBX in South Wales, 150 people have been employed so far. The St Athan facility is believed to “bring up to 750 new employment opportunities” to the region. For the time being, the company employs more than 2,700 people worldwide.
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