If you thought the Aston Martin DBX was too soft (even if it is a very capable SUV), wait until you hear about what the folks at Gaydon did to the luxury SUV to give it the performance chops to fight the likes of the Lamborghini Urus, the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, and the BMW X6M.
Enter the Aston Martin DBX 707, and no, that number is not a cheeky James Bond reference.
The “707” represents its horsepower output (in pferdestärke), but the actual output sits at 697hp and 900Nm, a very respectable increase over the 542hp and 700Nm of the standard DBX.
To make this possible, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 has been given new ball-bearing turbochargers with an accompanying tune. The transmission has been upgraded to a nine-speed wet-clutch automatic, which is more capable of handling the increased torque output compared to a regular torque converter automatic.
And for the numbers? The 0-100km/h sprint is now down to 3.3 seconds, and the top speed is 311km/h, compared to 4.5 seconds and 291km/h.
But Aston Martin did not stop there. Calling it “a saber in a segment of sledgehammers,” it made sure that the SUV could also handle better.
The already-excellent adaptive air suspension and electronic power steering have been tuned to improve body control and steering response, and the electronic limited-slip rear differential has been beefed up. Why?
While still all-wheel-drive, it can send 100% of the torque to the rear axle. And if all 900Nm being sent to the rear tires sounds terrifying, there are massive carbon-ceramic brakes (420mm front, 390mm rear) gripped by six piston calipers to stop you from killing yourself. Also, these brakes also save 40.5kg’s worth of unsprung weight, so you are seeing handling gains in almost every aspect of the car.
Of course, to set this apart from the regular DBX, the 707 receives some exclusive visual changes that benefit the car’s aerodynamics.
There is a larger front grille, with a redesigned DRL to accommodate the new air intakes, brake cooling ducts, and a front splitter. The rear bumper has been modified to fit the new quad-exhaust system, and there is a new roof spoiler to aid with high-speed stability. It comes standard with 22-inch wheels, but you can fit larger 23-inchers if you are feeling like a baller.
The interior comes fitted with sport seats as standard (but you can swap them out for comfort seats at no additional cost), with three new “interior environments”: Accelerate (which comes as standard and features a mix of leather and Alcantara), Inspire Comfort, and Inspire Sport (which drapes the interior in semi-aniline leather with embroidered Aston Martin wings on the headrests, and a contrast stripe down the center of the seat).
There is dark chrome and piano-black trim as standard, but you can swap them out for metal, carbon fiber, or bronze metal mesh. And if you have other specifications in mind, there is the “Q by Aston Martin” bespoke customization that can outfit the vehicle to your own taste.
Production is set to commence in the first quarter of 2022, with the first deliveries scheduled in the second quarter. Aston Martin has not announced a price tag for this super-SUV, but expect it to command a premium over the regular DBX.
Heck, maybe we will even get a chance to see one here if Aston Martin Manila decides to bring in a couple units, as they sell the DBX locally for P24,500,00.
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