Aston Martin confirms DBX nameplate for SUV
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 14th Nov 2018
ASTON Martin has confirmed that its first SUV will transition from concept to a production model with the same DBX nameplate when it is revealed in the fourth quarter of next year, ahead of an expected Australian launch in the early stages of 2020.
Shown as a development prototype for the first time, the DBX carries over signature brand design cues from the concept that broke cover at the Geneva motor show in March 2015, such as the large squared-off front grille and teardrop-shaped headlights.
However, the DBX test mule does pick up an extra two doors over the three-door show car, bringing the total to five, while a fastback-style roofline flows into the integrated ducktail spoiler that forms part of the flat tailgate.
Being a development prototype, camouflage hides the DBX’s finer details, but flush doorhandles can be viewed, although the twin-lamp tail-lights are unlikely to make it into production.
Given that the DBX has the ability to head off-road and tow, Aston Martin has created a unique test programme with “new processes, procedures and standards that reflect its all-purpose role”.
The brand promises the DBX “will perform with the verve and poise of a true Aston Martin, (while) its dynamic envelope has to extend into areas previously off-limits to the marque’s sporting roots”.
As such, the DBX will start its developmental phase by tackling a demanding stage of the Welsh Rally in Wales, where its production model will be built at the new St Athan plant in the Vale of Glamorgan.
The DBX will then head overseas and be exposed to extreme weather testing in the Arctic and the Middle East before its dynamics are tested in the Alps and at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit.
Aston Martin Lagonda president and chief executive officer Andy Palmer said expectations are already high for the DBX.
“Seeing a DBX development prototype in action is a momentous chapter in the story of our first SUV, for it is the moment it really comes alive,” he said.
“DBX is so much more than ‘just’ an SUV; it will be the first model built at our brand-new facility in St Athan. As such, it is very much the start of a bold new era in the company’s long history.”
Aston Martin chief engineer Matt Becker added that the first DBX test mule was faithful to its simulation, while the production model will be deserving of its place in the brand’s line-up.
“We have already developed and tuned DBX in the driving simulator, which has enabled us to make excellent progress in advance of the first physical prototype cars being available,” he said.
“Still, it’s always a big day when you get to put the first actual miles on an early prototype, and I’m delighted with the near perfect correlation between the simulator and this prototype. As an engineer, it’s genuinely exciting to get a feel for the car you’re working to create.
“DBX is a very different kind of Aston Martin, but we will be testing it in all conditions and across all terrains to ensure it delivers a driving experience worthy of the wings badge.”
As reported, Aston Martin is aiming to triple its annual global sales, compared to its 2016 mark, with the DBX and two Lagonda-badged models expected to account for the majority of this incremental volume.
