There was a time when SUVs were supposed to be cars made for inhospitable terrain along with a sprinkling of luxury. Then came the Range Rover or the BMW X5 which ripped apart the SUV rulebook with luxury car space, grace and refinement along with the ease of driving one.
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However, a recent trend has been to make luxury SUVs armed with a voracious appetite for speed along with a rakish design similar to a supercar. It’s no wonder then that supercar makers are indulging the wealthy car buying clientele with this combo and raking in immense profits.
Aston Martin luxury SUV: Eye-popping 707 PS (697 HP)
The DBX has been the best-selling Aston Martin by a mile. The model continues to fund the growth of the company. It seems, gorgeous low-slung GT cars are what we dream of. But when it comes to actually buying one, an SUV reigns supreme.
It is more because of newer markets where SUVs are a lot more popular over sedans or niche sports cars. Also, with fast SUVs like the new DBX707, who are we to complain about this fast-emerging trend?
The 4.0-litre V8 is now massaged to generate an eye-popping 707PS. That’s a figure which is way more than what was available on supercars some years back! Depending on your taste, it is either madness or a delicious extravagance. A 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds is akin to most two-door missiles and not to be usually found lurking in the spec sheet of some high-riding SUV.
It is no wonder that the DBX707 takes the title of the fastest SUV in the world with ease. This certainly puts Aston Martin on the map. It shows a more aggressive streak in taking on the Italian powerhouses in form of Ferrari (with it launches its own SUV in the future) or Lamborghini. Plus not to mention other brands like Porsche.
Handling has been made way sharper
To dig deeper within this curvaceous Aston Martin, the changes go far beyond the simple act of extracting more power from its V8. Nearly everything has been honed and careful modifications have been done to rip out excess fat along with toning the muscle. Gone is the torque converter transmission in the current DBX. A new wet clutch 9-speed automatic has been added in with the agenda of having to deal with all that power and torque overflowing from this engine.
Aston Martin promises quicker gearshifts and also the ability to launch better. Things that matter to the average super SUV buyer, apparently. However, the DBX707 tries to be more of an Aston Martin than the standard DBX and that we approve. There are carbon ceramic brakes which shave precious seconds off its braking time along with better feedback while shaving some weight also.
Huge amount of power on offer along with extensive tweaks promises supercar handling and the pace to embarrass them. Is also the prettiest SUV on sale.
Priced at $230k
The floaty air suspension has been wound to be super quick and being able to adapt to faster cornering. Handling has been made sharper with an electric steering helping you to keep a firm hand on the proceedings.
To further support its more driver-focused credentials, the DBX707 adds to its drive modes. Inside, the said modes are now present within the lower console for easier access. Basically, Aston Martin wants you to drive this SUV hard. That’s logical with its stratospheric 707PS output.
Handmade luxury touch points
However, the DBX707 is not a subtle Q car with all that power being added nonchalantly as many external modifications have also been done. A bigger grille might alert the style police but it looks good on the car with bigger intakes along with new louvred bonnet blades/ dark satin chrome window surrounds.
An obligatory rear spoiler with aerodynamic characteristics adds further to the ‘supercar on stilts’ look. You can even get 23 inch wheels with a satin finish with diamond highlights
Inside, it’s all typical Aston Martin handmade luxury flair while sport seats are standard with a choice of materials include Alcantara/leather while carbon trim can be optioned along with other choices within the Aston Martin ‘Q’ branch, i.e. its bespoke division.
At $230,000, the DBX707 is a halo product for the entire Aston Martin range in terms of the sheer volumes it will generate along with the interest level that comes with it. For us, this iteration is closer to the values that a brand like Aston Martin portrays with its traditional cars while still making the bean counters happy.
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What we like
Huge amount of power on offer along with extensive tweaks promises supercar handling and the pace to embarrass them. Is also the prettiest SUV on sale.
What we do not like
Infotainment and technology is still old-school and behind the Lamborghini Urus. Pricier also over the standard DBX and less subtle.
Somnath Chatterjee grew up around cars and most of his childhood was spent obsessing over supercars. Years later he decided to start writing about them and hasn’t looked back since. While he has had his fair share of cars, the world of automobiles never ceases to amaze him. Travelling all over the world to drive them along with sharing that experience is what ultimately keeps him going. He hopes to drive a Ferrari 288 GTO someday because, well, do you really need a reason?
