Automologist ATHERTON introduces us to the DBX.
Aston Martin’s first-ever SUV is simply stunning: in looks, performance, the whole works. The car’s silhouette, from the front to the rear ducktail spoiler, is simply stunning. Every crafted detail exudes sheer class.
You can say the DBX is the saviour of Aston Martin – the sales of the DBX as of early November stood at 2,186 vehicles and that accounts for more than half of their global sales figure of 4,250 units. The firm is targeting sales of 6,000 units this year and looks to be on track in achieving that.
But let’s talk about the car. It is built from the ground up in the company’s new plant in St Athan, Wales. It is a five-door, five-seater 4×4 SUV that produces 542 bhp and 700 Nm of torque from its AMG-sourced 4.0-liter Twin Turbo V8 paired to a 9-speed automatic gearbox. 0-100km/h is done in 4.5 seconds easy-peasy and top speed is 291 km/h. Luxury and power are complemented beautifully by sculpted sides and lines.
We previewed the Lime-Essence-coloured unit and it is immediately in your face. Just seeing an Aston Martin is a head-turner, and this one jumps at you. It comes with almost RM200,000 worth of options and has a glossy black upper body package which gives you darkened front grille, emblem, bonnet blades, door mirrors, roof rails, door frames and rear spoiler mounts.
The rear of the car is equally stunning with smoked taillights and a Vantage-esque ducktail. Compared to its competitors, it has the longest wheelbase at 3,060mm except when compared to the Rolls Royce Cullinan. Tyre size is 285/40 R22 with two-tone satin silver and black finish that is called a ribbon design. As you enter the car, the quality finishings catch your eye wherever you look.
FUN FACT: It is the first-ever SUV in Formula 1, used as an official medical car.
You get a 10.25-inch infotainment screen plus a 12.3-inch instrument display, Apple Car Play, 360-degree camera, dual-zone and 64-colour ambient lighting. The seats have their own theme – Technical Quilting & Perforation – the stitching details are exquisite and have lime essence touches carefully done with headrests stitched with Aston Martin wordings.
Seats are 12-way adjustable. Near the centre console, you’ll find carbon-fibre trim inlays complemented with dark satin chrome bits throughout the cabin.
Caithness full-grain leather upholstery, push start button, Alcantara headliner, keyless entry, triple-zone climate control, piano black interior trim, a 360-degree camera system and a 14-speaker, 800-watt sound system are all standard equipment. In terms of safety features, there are autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, automatic high beam, six airbags and stability control. And get this, you can also opt for the Pet package that includes a portable washer for cleaning your furry pals.
Boot space is 632 litres with handsfree tailgate opening. Luggage bags, golfing bags or simply transporting groceries is easy and definitely cool in a DBX.
The base price is RM818,000 before taxes, duties and options. The more you finetune your preferences, the higher the price but hey, you’re already getting an Aston Martin, why not deck it out to your personal taste?
