DBX Aston Martin DBX - From Prototype to Official Release

[advantage20]

£158k asking price
£12k for 22 inch alloys
£8k for a light greenish colour
£9k for a a carbon piece on the diffuser
£1 for black calipers

This is a money grab. Aston, you are having a laugh mate.

Although it appears to be lovely to drive, it doesn't bring anything nee to the table over the G63, Urus, RR SVR, Bentyga or Cayenne Turbo.

It does bring the best exterior footprint/interior space packaging of the segment, while at the same time offering arguably the least boxy and most elegant body style of the segment, which is an unbelievable feat given Aston Martin's inferior R&D ressources versus the competition.

 

[Bridster]

I think it's the best looking one of the current luxury SUVs. Although - as with all the others - you still can't escape the feel they are trying to push a square peg through a round hole design vise when they are forcing their sportscar language on an SUV. Also, according to all the reviews, it seems pretty good in all areas, so well done Aston.

The negatives? Although the interior seems to be slightly better than the rest of the Aston range, it's still quite underwhelming, design vise and quality vise. I also don't enjoy all these marketing aero bits. What exactly is this micro diffuser doing on such a heavy car with such a high ride height? Absolutely nothing. It has two spoilers at the back - which, again, are completely useless, except to accentuate the design.

The biggest negative of them all is the fact it's an SUV, though; and not only an SUV, but a "sporty" SUV - the worst kind of them all. Any time they mention it handles well, you need to mentally add "for a 2.2 ton car with this ride height". E63s Estate handles better. It's also much faster in the straight line. It has the same space inside, it has the same interior quality and because of the 4 wheel drive, it can be used in the wet and snow and can drive on 99% of the roads the SUVs can. It's also about 50-80k pounds cheaper, it's cheaper to run, has lower fuel consumption and lower environmental impact. It also doesn't have the stink around it of being designed by a committee.

Well, whatever. Whether the car fails or succeeds, it's gonna bring something good. If it fails, it might stop everyone and their mother trying to bring another SUV to the market. And it if succeeds, it might keep Aston Martin from bankruptcy.

 

[Matski]

E63s Estate handles better. It's also much faster in the straight line. It has the same space inside, it has the same interior quality and because of the 4 wheel drive, it can be used in the wet and snow and can drive on 99% of the roads the SUVs can. It's also about 50-80k pounds cheaper, it's cheaper to run, has lower fuel consumption and lower environmental impact. It also doesn't have the stink around it of being designed by a committee.

It's also an Aston Martin, demonstrates more wealth, and doesn't get (literally) looked down upon by people who did buy a 'sporty' SUV. I agree these aren't great reasons to buy one, but I'd wager they are key to the target demographic.

 

[mihc]

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[Bridster]

It's also an Aston Martin, demonstrates more wealth, and doesn't get (literally) looked down upon by people who did buy a 'sporty' SUV. I agree these aren't great reasons to buy one, but I'd wager they are key to the target demographic.

I certainly understand cars being status symbols. And that's not my criticism. If you look at a supercar, the prestige owning it brings is surely one of the top reasons why people buy them. Probably more so than for the performance the car has. And if someone decides to only ever drive their supercar around town to show off, that's fine by me. I don't look down at people for that (although many people who fancy themselves real enthusiast drivers do). People crave status and it is what it is. You could even say they are being honest with themselves.

The difference between status signalling luxury SUV and a status signalling supercar, is that the latter actually makes sense. It has better handling than normal cars, it's faster, louder, has more exciting engine that you can only get on that one car. Putting aside the question of how exploitable their performance actually is in the real world, there is a rational reason for why you might want to own a supercar - even separate from the status. That's in contrast with the luxury SUV (or any SUV for that matter), where the car makes no sense unless you are in the absolute minority that actually makes use of the enhanced off-road capabilities. The status, the fact that your car is bigger and that you look down on people from your high seating position are - as far as I can tell - the only reasons for purchase. And I guess it's the surrender to your baser instincts, over-ruling any rational considerations you might have, that really irks me.

 

[hovabongZA]

The looks have grown on me ... looks good.

 

[Matski]

@Bridster

For the most part I agree, but let's not forget these cars do have pretty significant performance. They are not the best solution for going fast, but they are the best single solution for doing it if you want the other benefits of that type of vehicle. And, as you've highlighted, there is the issue of exploitability. A supercar or hypercar that cannot be exploited is likely to be inferior at pretty much everything other than showing off, than something like an E63T, or B5 Touring. At least these Super SUV's do allow people a reasonable degree of practicality whilst also alluding to their (larelgy unexploitable) performance.

Don't get me wrong, I really dislike the Cayenne, Urus and DBX, but it's not because of their raison d'etre... more the cowardly styling avenues taken by the respective manufacturers.

 

[Abbat]

Best looking crossover now.

 

[mihc]

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[dalab]

the Cayenne, Urus and DBX, but it's not because of their raison d'etre... more the cowardly styling avenues taken by the respective manufacturers.

Why do you think that? Without being the Cayenne, which is the most "normal", I consider the others to be quite risky in terms of design

 

[Matski]

Why do you think that? Without being the Cayenne, which is the most "normal", I consider the others to be quite risky in terms of design

All of these cars use well known established design language that is well suited sports cars, and stretched it over a completely different shape of car. I don't see the styling as risky, I see it as doing exactly what would you'd expect from these marques... a bloated version of a safe bet. Cayenne's gotten "better", but only in so far as it's been softened a bit. The DBX already looks 10 years old to me.

 

[dalab]

All of these cars use well known established design language that is well suited sports cars, and stretched it over a completely different shape of car. I don't see the styling as risky, I see it as doing exactly what would you'd expect from these marques... a bloated version of a safe bet. Cayenne's gotten "better", but only in so far as it's been softened a bit. The DBX already looks 10 years old to me.

It is a good point, but where is the dividing line that is representative of the historical style of the brand and modern and innovative enough without losing identity, but of course, I understand the fact that this is the risk that must be taken.

A good example of taking that risk and doing it well would be the first X5, which blew your mind when you saw it at the time

 

[Matski]

It is a good point, but where is the dividing line that is representative of the historical style of the brand and modern and innovative enough without losing identity, but of course, I understand the fact that this is the risk that must be taken.

History has to start somewhere. There's nothing innovative about taking all your existing design cues and design language, and morphing it over a new shape. Develop a new design language.

A good example of taking that risk and doing it well would be the first X5, which blew your mind when you saw it at the time

Taking styling cues from a 5 door wagon and stretching them over a bigger taller 5 door wagon shape doesn't look nearly as silly.

Imagine the next SL was styled after the G Class... its the same thing.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

History has to start somewhere. There's nothing innovative about taking all your existing design cues and design language, and morphing it over a new shape. Develop a new design language.

One of A-M's best asset is their design. If they were to stray too much from it, then what would be the point of buying it over something else if it wasn't quintessentially A-M?

 

[burana800]

Stunning exterior design. But... How can Aston be this bad in interior design? I mean... can someone explain? This is far better than the Vantage or DB11 but still MILES behind e.g. Bentayga. What a shame.

 

[dalab]

Taking styling cues from a 5 door wagon and stretching them over a bigger taller 5 door wagon shape doesn't look nearly as silly.

It does not seem fair to say that SUVs resort to that, instead I think it deserves a great job from scratch to create an SUV from a brand that never had one and even more so that it did not identify with this segment.

Imagine the next SL was styled after the G Class... its the same thing.

 

[Centurion]

It's also an Aston Martin, demonstrates more wealth, and doesn't get (literally) looked down upon by people who did buy a 'sporty' SUV. I agree these aren't great reasons to buy one, but I'd wager they are key to the target demographic.

Maserati's sales figures demonstrate that slapping a prestige badge on an SUV and covering the entire cabin in handbag leather doesn't guarantee success.

The Levante has not been a blockbuster and over a year ago Maserati even cut production because of demand was well below expectations.

Imagine what the DBX S or AMR will cost?

The negatives? Although the interior seems to be slightly better than the rest of the Aston range, it's still quite underwhelming, design vise and quality vise.

The infotainment is the achiles heel of the car. It's based on 5 year old tech, doesn't have a touch screen and isn't even ready for journalists to demonstrate.

However I have to commend Aston for the majestic rear legroom. Incredible interior packaging. The Americans and Chinese will not be dissapointed.

The car's biggest commercial test will come next year when the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport debut. The market will decide whether the Aston badge and RWD bias are worth an 70-100% premium over a Range Rover.

I wish the brand success as the sales figures of the DBX will decisive for the financial future of the brand.

 

[Matski]

Maserati's sales figures demonstrate that slapping a prestige badge on an SUV and covering the entire cabin in handbag leather doesn't guarantee success.

The Levante has not been a blockbuster and over a year ago Maserati even cut production because of demand was well below expectations.

I have no research myself on Maserati, but I think the two spikes here represent the Giblet and the Ker-Bang Levante. Based on UK sales, the Giblet:Levante sales were about 2:1... so it it might not have been a runaway success, but it must still have been massive for the brand.

From Wiki:

 

[Centurion]

I have no research myself on Maserati, but I think the two spikes here represent the Giblet and the Ker-Bang Levante. Based on UK sales, the Giblet:Levante sales were about 2:1... so it it might not have been a runaway success, but it must still have been massive for the brand.

From Wiki:

Having an SUV in the range is better than not having one. If the margins on the DBX are healthy, AM can tickle demand by offering deposit contribution. Bentley did this with the Bentyga. Before the pandemic it was easy to find pre-registered delivery mileage Bentygas ready for impulsive car shoppers.

 

[Abbat]

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