After months of speculations, spy shots, and teaser images of the 2020 Aston Martin DBX, the cat is finally out of the bag. First, Aston Martin parked a pre-production mule of the DBX (complete with camouflage and all) in front of the St. Athan manufacturing plant in Wales. Next, Aston was kind enough to reveal the DBX’s burly 4.0-liter turbocharged engine.
And less than a month after that, the British carmaker gave us a glimpse on the accessory packs for the new DBX, complete with a snow pack (boot warmers and heated seats) and a pet pack, which includes handy pet partitions in the boot and a portable washer among other things.
Now, the DBX has shed its camouflage for the adoring world to see.
And my oh my, Aston has created an SUV worthy of becoming a bedroom poster – which is far and few in between these days.
“Through its development alone, this beautiful SUV has already taken the company into new territories and in inspiring directions,” said Dr. Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President, and Group CEO. “The DBX also marks a key moment in the delivery of the third and final phase of our Second Century Plan, not only representing the promised expansion of our portfolio but also signaling the start of production at Aston Martin’s second manufacturing plant.”
The Aston Martin DBX is magnificent
Look at it! It’s exactly what we’re envisioning all along. Being an Aston Martin, the DBX has that familiar grille design harking back to the brand’s illustrious past. Both sides of the grille are flanked by aerodynamic ducting, which are encircled by new daytime running lamps.
The long bonnet is equipped with vents to reduce front end lift while cooling V8 motor. The DBX also has frameless doors, a unique glass B-pillar, powerful rear haunches, and a gently sloping roofline.
Out in the back, the DBX looks exactly like the gorgeous rump of the Vantage, complete with that upswept flip at the base of the rear window. The DBX is available in two 22-inch wheel designs. There’s no doubt the DBX is an Aston Martin from the get-go, but the company has really nailed the design on this one.
“DBX is an SUV that does not compromise beauty or performance for practicality or usability,” said Marek Reichman, Executive Vice-President and Chief Creative Officer at Aston Martin. “It has been designed to deliver on the proportions that meet the criteria for beauty that we would always apply to the form language of any Aston Martin. It has been created to be elegant, purposeful and unique in its uncompromising beauty.”
It rides on a new bespoke aluminum chassis
Beauty needs a strong set of bones, and Aston Martin obliges with a bespoke aluminum body structure with cast aluminum suspension mountings. The DBX has the longest wheelbase in its class with the wheels stretched farther towards the front and rear of the vehicle. This also means class-leading levels of interior room and a commodious cargo area.
The use of bonded aluminum paid dividends in terms of weight. The 2020 Aston Martin DBX tips the scales at under 5,000 pounds (2,245 kg), which is about the same as a Lamborghini Urus.
However, a remarkably stiff and light chassis demands a state-of-the-art suspension system. In the new DBX, Aston Martin employed a set of double wishbones in the front and multi-links in the rear complete with triple volume adaptive air suspension. This not only means adjustable ride comfort from firm to cushy, but it also means an adjustable ride height when tackling rougher terrain.
The new DBX is also fitted with a 48-volt electronic anti-roll control (eARC) system. This means all individual wheels can make the most of the available wheel travel without upsetting comfort or handling.
Turbocharged V8 power is standard
The Aston Martin DBX is equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 motor. Sounds familiar? That’s right, it’s essentially the same powerplant in the DB11 and Vantage. But in the DBX, the engine is tuned to churn out 542-horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque.
Yes, we know. The Lamborghini Urus also has a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, but it thumps out 650-horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, which is less than the DBX. However, you’re missing the point. In the same manner a Lamborghini is automatically classified as a supercar, the Aston Martin DBX is a sporty luxury grand tourer in the same mold as the DB11 and Vantage.
And despite this, the Aston Martin DBX is no slouch. Considering the DBX is slightly heavier than the Urus, it can still rush from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3-seconds and a top speed of 181 mph. This is made possible by a slick-shifting nine-speed automatic connected to an all-wheel-drive system with an active differential and an electronic rear limited-slip differential.
What this essentially means is the ability to automatically shift the torque between the front and rear wheels. The system can transfer nearly 100-percent of torque to the rear wheels to deliver the feel of a sports car, while it can seamlessly split the power between 47-percent front and 53-percent in the rear as needed.
The DBX also comes with an impressive array of standard active and passive safety features including blind spot warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, hill start assist, hill descent control, and rollover stability control.
Spaciousness and comfort are standard in the DBX
Aston Martin didn’t want to create an all-out super SUV with the DBX. Rather, the company focused its efforts on making the vehicle practical and comfortable for daily use. According to Aston Martin, the DBX’s interior is designed and engineered to accommodate every driver from the 99th percentile male to the 5th percentile female.
The vehicle offers a class-leading headroom and legroom in both the front and rear quarters despite the sportscar-inspired body. The rear seats, in particular, were angled to eliminate the sensation of ‘leaning over’ the front as with other SUVs. The cabin is flanked by fine leather, metal, carbon, and wood veneers, including a new material crafted from full-grain leather and 80-percent natural wool.
How much is the Aston Martin DBX?
All of this magnificence comes at a price. The 2020 Aston Martin DBX starts at $189,900 exclusive of $3,086 destination and handling charges. Standard features include a 12.3-inch instrument cluster with a 10.25” central display, a 14-speaker premium audio system, Apple CarPlay, satellite navigation, interior ambient lighting, LED headlights, full-grain leather upholstery, a 360-degree camera, and a power tailgate.
The 2020 Aston Martin DBX is arriving at dealerships near the second half of 2020.
2020 Aston Martin DBX Image Gallery
