SUV IS ALMOST READY
ASTON MARTIN is nearly there. After years of teasing, and endless picture campaigns hinting at its readiness, the new DBX high-performance luxury SUV will be unveiled in production form in December.
Last week the manufacturer confirmed it had entered the closing stages of the most comprehensive test regime of any Aston Martin ever built.
With extensive everyday real-world driving and high-performance track evaluation taking place at locations worldwide – including the brand’s two key engineering centres at Silverstone, UK and the Nürburgring, Germany – Chief Engineer Matt Becker’s team are said to have focused their development work to ensure the broad dynamic capability required of DBX.
Becker said that while conducting durability testing at the Nürburgring race circuit, DBX delivered cornering speeds on par with the brand’s most focused sports car, the Vantage, while achieving braking figures greater than the marque’s Super GT, the DBS Superleggera. “This brutal combination of performance for an SUV has already seen us regularly achieve sub 8-minute Nordschleife lap times,” he added.
HEART OF A SPORTS CAR
DBX will feature a 4.0-litre twinturbo V8, tuned to deliver the exhilaration of a modern GT, they say.
While recognisable from its use in the current Vantage and DB11 sports cars, DBX’s V8 engine surpasses the performance credentials of those V8-powered models – delivering 404kW of power and 700Nm of torque.
High-speed testing has also already proven te DBX to repeatedly exceed 289km/h (please don’t try this at home); however, final top speed and acceleration figures are yet to be confirmed.
STUNNING SOUNDTRACK
With a focus on creating a broader, more solid acoustic note, the DBX’s exhaust system has been tuned to reflect “deep bass with increasing mid-tones”, creating true auditory exhilaration, particularly in more sporting drive modes, the brand explains.
“We have concentrated our work to ensure the calibration and tune of this 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 delivers both the everyday usability and refinement expected by SUV owners. However, we have also focused heavily on matching that with the engaging driving dynamics that are commanded by our brand and inherent in every Aston Martin.
“Early indications of the car’s overall performance have been incredibly promising,” Becker said. “The next few months will be extremely important to us, as we continue to hone the powertrain’s credentials and the dynamic set-up that will help make this the most exciting SUV on the market.”
The new Aston Martin DBX is set to be unveiled in December, so if you’d like to buy one it’s best you get in touch with the brand’s official SA importers, Daytona Group now.