THIS is Aston Martin’s first-ever SUV. Now, why did we say that Aston Martin is following in Porsche’s footsteps? Well, until 2001, Porsche only delivered sports cars. With the arrival of the Cayenne SUV in early 2002 Porsche’s fortunes turned and the company became hugely profitable. In 2020, Porsche delivered its one millionth Cayenne SUV and its demand keeps getting stronger around the globe.
Being late
So, Aston Martin might be rather late to the SUV game. But then Maserati was also late when they launched the Levante SUV a few years ago and it is also seeing increasing demand.
Now in 2020 after four-plus years of development, Aston Martin’s first-ever SUV, the DBX arrives. Thanks to a collaboration with AMG, Aston’s first SUV is launched with a 4.0 twin-turbo Mercedes AMG sourced V8 engine. With huge reserves of power and torque, the scale of the performance on offer in this DBX is reflected in the 0-100km/h acceleration time of a mere 4.5 seconds. This is achieved with silky refinement.
Power delivery
The engine under the hood is also found in Aston Martin DB11 and Vantage supercars. This means this SUV is able to deliver an output of 550PS and 700NM of torque. This makes it a true rival to the Lamborghini URUS SUV which is priced from RM1 million (before local taxes) and the Bentley Bentyaga at RM743,900 (before local taxes). Yes, super luxury vehicles are sold with selling prices before local taxes as most Malaysian buyers will have them registered in tax-free Langkawi island and take advantage of huge tax savings.
This V8 engine is paired with an advanced electronically controlled 9-speed semi-automatic gearbox, which has been tuned by Aston Martin engineers at the St Athan factory in Wales to combine silky-smooth shifting with exceptionally rapid response and sensible fuel economy. With nine closely-spaced ratios, gear changes are almost imperceptible, with each shift completed in just milliseconds.
Controls include steering wheel-mounted paddle-shift as standard, enabling the driver to take control of gear shifting manually. This gives added driving enjoyment for the enthusiasts.
Driving the DBX
Where this new SUV will spend 99.9% of its time, especially here in Malaysia, will be on smooth tarmac. This is where this DBX showed us how well mannered and composed it behaved. We took our best effort in trying to twitch and pitch it as we drove it hard and fast along some Klang Valley back roads.
On the road, this performance is very accessible, making overtaking a breeze. No doubt our highway users who fail to keep to the legal speed limit will love the top speed of 291km/h. Accelerate hard and it sounds even better with a real throaty V8 noise coming from the exhaust.
The way it goes about delivering its performance makes it feel slower than it is. But look down on the speedometer and you will be surprised by the way your speed climbs and the way it feels like you are just cruising along (as the sound insulation is so good that you do not feel and hear the speed you are travelling).
There's no brutality about it. The massive 700Nm of torque merely winding up the transmission and pushing you forward in a strong linear surge. It is not the engine alone that dominates the driving experience. It is the whole Aston Martin cabin experience that brings us to a defining conclusion that this SUV is a ‘toy’ for the wealthy.
All the above might have little impact on your purchase decision. But it is good to know that your luxury British sports SUV comes with the consciousness to provide the best safety features for a top-of-the-line SUV. Not to mention, the very best of tech and luxury materials that can be found in any premium vehicle on sale today. – The Vibes, December 31, 2020
Aston Martin DBX Specifications:
Engine: V8 twin-turbo, 32 valves
Transmission: 9-speed semi-automatic
Displacement: 3982cc
Power: 550hp @ 6500rpm
Torque: 700Nm @ 2200-5000rpm
0-100km/h: 4.5 seconds
Top Speed: 291km/h
Selling Price: From RM818,000 before taxes and delivery
