Aston Martin DBX revealed: British brute becomes brand’s first-ever SUV

Aston Martin has finally taken the wraps off its DBX, the car maker’s first-ever SUV and a car that’s mighty important for the brand.

It’s been a long time coming, with initial development stretching back to 2015, the DBX ushers in a new era for the British marque and forms a part of the company’s so-called “Second Century Plan” which, among other things, is meant to diversify the brand’s portfolio, with the manufacturer set to introduce seven new models by 2022.

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The DBX is one of those cars, and Aston Martin insists that although they’re in uncharted territory with an SUV, their core values will remain fully evident in DBX.

“DBX is a car that will give many people their first experience of Aston Martin ownership. As such it needed to be true to the core values established in our sports cars, while also providing the lifestyle versatility expected of a luxury SUV,” said Andy Palmer, Aston Martin CEO.

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It’s a big promise, and one we’ve heard before from rival manufacturers who’ve gone the way of the SUV, but to back up their claims, Aston isn’t coming along unprepared.

It will receive a DBX-specific version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 found in the DB11 and Vantage (borrowed from Mercedes-AMG), and will pack 404kW and 700Nm all the while delivering a sound characteristic that “is unquestionably Aston Martin” thanks to a revised firing order.

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Aston Martin says those figures are good enough to launch the DBX from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 291km/h.

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Helping turn that power into those claims is a nine-speed torque converter gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system with electronically-controlled centre and rear differentials.

It will be built in Aston Martin’s newly-created second production facility in St Athan, Wales, and is said to be designed upon its own bespoke dedicated SUV platform, which is uncommon for the supercar-cum-SUV-maker posse. Aston Martin says this enables all departments a “clean sheet of paper” primed for “[innovation] and [to] push the boundaries of what British design and engineering can create.”

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Aston also says the DBX will use some clever tricks to keep its 2245kg-heft agile, paying note to an air suspension system that will combine with a 48v electric anti-roll control system which, in addition to raising and lowering the ride height, does away with traditional anti-roll bars and can send up to 1400Nm of anti-roll force to each axle. The goal was to allow for an on-the-fly switch between superior ride comfort and handling ability akin to that of a sports car.

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The five-seat, five-door model is said to offer class-leading interior space, and features a 632 litre boot. Up front, it will receive a 10.25-inch screen running a version of Mercedes-Benz’s infotainment system, paired by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

As expected, there are a number of packages that’ll be on offer including a Snow pack, a Pet pack, a Touring pack and even an Event pack, which brings a picnic basket, blanket and seats for an “impromptu al fresco lunch”. Oh, how the other half live…

What about Australia?

Locally, we can expect to see the brand new DBX SUV from midway through 2020, and Aston Martin’s local arm has priced the DBX at $357,000 before on-road costs and options.

Click the image at the top of this story to view more Aston Martin DBX SUV photos.