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Aston Martin DBX 2020 revealed: first images, plus specs, pricing and release
British marque hopes its first SUV will boost annual sales by two-thirds
The DBX first appeared in concept guise at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and is the company’s first foray into the SUV market - a move that could open “a vital, perhaps life-saving, new tranche of its global business”, says Autocar.
Aston Martin hopes to capitalise on the booming SUV trend with the DBX, with an annual sales target of 4,000 units. That would initially boost the firm’s total sales by two-thirds to 10,000 a year, marking “by far the greatest output in its 106-year history”, the magazine adds.
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With deliveries due to kick off next year, here is what else you need to know about the British marque’s take on a luxury SUV:
Price and release
The DBX carries a price tag of £158,000 - around £20,000 more than its Bentley Bentayga V8 rival and about £1,000 cheaper than the base Lamborghini Urus.
Orders are open now, with customer deliveries set to start next spring.
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Design and interior
(Image credit: RVT3)
The DBX adopts the company’s signature grille, along with ultra-thin headlights like those on the DBS Superleggera. The small air vents that flank the new car’s grille come straight from the 2015 concept model and help channel air around the front wheel arches to reduce drag.
Looking at the DBX from the side reveals “relatively short overhangs”, a long bonnet and a “cleverly designed roofline that makes it look more sharply raked than it really is”, reports Auto Express.
At the back sits a body-wide tail-light cluster that is “a fresh take” on the firm’s traditional design,while the bodywork “tapers in noticeably beyond the rear wheels” to improve aerodynamics and disguise the vehicle’s sheer size, says the motoring mag.
Meanwhile, the interior “is as luxurious as you might expect from the car’s six-figure price tag”, with almost every surface wrapped in leather and premium metals, says CarBuyer.
The new SUV’s body provides plenty of room for “four reasonably tall adults”,and the standard-fit panoramic roof makes the cabin “light and airy”, the reviews site continues.
Other standard kit includes a 12.3in digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, along with a 10.25in touchscreen panel in the centre of the dashboard. The system uses Aston’s latest infotainment software, complete with Apple CarPlay.
Engine specs and performance
The DBX is powered by the same AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that features in the Vantage and DB11 V8.
However, power has been upped from 503bhp to 542bhp, while torque jumps to 516lb-ft from 497lb-ft. The motor connects to a newly developed exhaust system that provides the DBX with “its own distinctive tone and sound”, according to Evo.
In true SUV fashion, the DBX gets an all-wheel drive system that’s mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
The final result: despite its “portly” 2,245kg kerb weight, the DBX manages a 0-60mph sprint in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 181mph.
Autocar hails the DBX as an “extremely capable” off-roader, in part thanks to bespoke all-weather tyres from Pirelli.
As you’d expect from an Aston, the DBX is also a strong performer on circuit. Drivers will be able to execute power slides courtesy of the car’s “electronically controlled limited-slip differential”, says the magazine - and though most customers won’t be sliding their DBX, it shows that “Aston takes handling seriously”.
“There’s great visibility up front and the car doesn’t feel anywhere near as large as it looks”, notes Auto Express. The ride quality is also “smooth” on the road, aside from a few pre-production “creaks”, and the V8 engine is “quiet” while cruising.
The leather-covered seats are comfortable and there are “plenty of storage cubbies” scattered around the cabin, the motoring mag adds. Passengers in the rear get a good amount of space, too, and the car can be lowered to allow dogs to jump into boot.
“The fact the DBX feels as fast and secure as its key rivals seems like a good omen for how it will feel from the other side of the cabin,” concludes PistonHeads.
