Aston Martin DBX keeps what we want and adds much more
Aston Martin DBX keeps what we want and adds much more
11:40

Aston Martin DBX keeps what we want and adds much more

Cars
[MUSIC] The new Aston Martin DBS has got a very tricky task on its hands. Why? Because it has to be an Aston Martin and represent everything that that stands for. While at the same time being quite unlike any Aston Martin which has gone before, it must not dilute the brand yet it must also have a certain amount of mass appeal. It must have anger the DB five owner. Yes, it must delight those who have never heard of David Brown. It needs to perform an advantages natural habitat, but also perform in a shopping trolleys natural hi It must have pace and practicality, glamour and good luggage space. You get the picture. This is a tricky but vital car for Aston Martin, which is why they've put so much effort into it and developed a whole new platform. Today, we're finally going to find out if all that hard work has paid off [MUSIC] So it doesn't go like an Aston Martin. Well with 542 brake horsepower, 516 pounds of torque, or 60 suspension, just over four seconds. So yes. It does go like an Aston Martin. [SOUND] Some folks will say that it goes like a Mercedes AMG because it's the German companies four liter twin turbo V8 under the bonnet bear with a revised firing order to give a smoother delivery more befitting of this. Sort of car. But to be honest, I don't think I'm ever gonna be disappointed to find that m 177 engine under the bonnet. [SOUND] The only thing that's slightly disappointing from a drive training perspective is the nine speed automatic gearbox, which is okay, but sometimes it's just not quite the smoothest. Especially on downshifts The Big Brother theatrical aluminium pedals are good though. Anyway, next up, does it sound like an Aston Martin? Well, with this 4 liter turbocharged V eight, you might worry that Gas particulate filters might get in the way but. [SOUND] No, this sounds absolutely fantastic. In fact, it's one of the very best things about this car thing. If you're gonna have a non hybrid Nani, the old school v eight, it has to sound good. And this most certainly does. Does it look like an Aston Martin? Well, I think it depends on the angle is here from sometimes it looks absolutely stunning, sometimes I'm just not quite so sure. There are definite Aston cues, but some people can't unsee a strong resemblance to afford Cougar. Others go isn't that gorgeous? I can imagine James Bond driving that attractiveness aside. What's certainly true is it discusses its size very well. Despite being longer and wider than a Range Rover. it more often looks like it's the size of the much smaller Porsche Macan. It really is big though. so big that Aston had to seriously upscale the size of the patch on its nose. Of course, there's the look of the interior to. The seats were developed from those in the DB 11. And in fact much of the interior feels familiar. The seating position is good, not low exactly but you feel you sit in rather than on the car. The Tech is last generation Mercedes which is a shame, and I'm sure people will expect it to be a touchscreen in the center, but it's not. I'm not sure expect white in an SUV, but you can't fault the materials themselves with things like the glass buttons and metal vents being befitting of a car this expensive call to the touch because the cold vents but they there is a quality in here, which you don't get in other cars. [SOUND] Does it handle like an Aston Martin? Well, this is an interesting one. Because in a straight line when you first get into this car, it really does feel like a four by four. The suspension has a Relaxed nature to a really long limbed almost lugubrious nature. It makes you think that this really isn't going to handle like an Aston Martin at all. And then you turn into a corner and the incredibly quick steering 14 to 1. Comes into play. And the electric anti roll system comes into play as well. And for such a big car and it does feel like a big car in a straight line. Suddenly it just shrinks. It hasn't got rear wheel steer like a lot of SUVs have these days, but neither does actually feel like it needs it. [BLANK_AUDIO] There are various driving modes which you access from the two buttons here. Essentially it's up, to increase the right height, and down To decrease the ride height via the suspension. Gt mode is the sort of standard mode and then you come down into individual set up how you like and then sport and then score Plus, the primary ride is actually very good in all of them. It obviously ties itself down a little more when you get into Sport and Sport Plus. In GT mode, it's curious because they say it rides very well. It's incredibly comfortable, but it is quite sort of busy. On the secondary ride, you feel a little bumps and it's almost as though they've decided because it's an Aston Martin. They want you to still feel the road beneath you. That longer limbed ride means it's more like a Range Rover in a straight line, but then has a width of an alpha Stelvio quadrifoglio in the corners, as well as the quick steering which can actually have the ESP nibbling at the brakes quite easily. You can certainly feel the 48 volt anti roll system working hard. The torque distribution is quite avert too. He's capable of going from a 4753 front riskless to sending almost 100% to the back with electronically controlled Limited Slip diff then apportioning across that rear axle. And it does make it feel very rear wheel drive much more so than other SUVs. Such a big car, how she feels really quite light on its feet So by and large Aston Martin has done a good job in the areas as well, namely performance, handling and design. But this Aston Martin is different. You see, it can't just survive on handling, straight line pace, looks and sound. This has to work. [BLANK_AUDIO] On a practical level, in the real world. It has to be a child seat friendly with easy access to the isofix. Aston Martin will of course sell you a branded, leather-covered child seat if you wish. Even more than one of Aston's GT cars, the DBX has to provide comfort and practicality on a daily basis for a long journey. To this end, the engineers paid a lot of attention to NVH right from the basics of the bespoke body structure through to employing something called Aero acoustic software to model a potential wind noise. The result is a very refined cost cutting and quiet experience if you're only taking the V8, of course They've really thought about the the practical side of this cabin something which you wouldn't necessarily think about in a sports car. Lots of cubby holes for cups and bottles and things like that, big storage under here. The area under here as well for keeping things out of the way. The PBX should appeal to the outdoors he sought So you've got to know things like a bicycle or fit in the rear. [MUSIC] You can of course get a bicycle rack if you want. But that wouldn't be such a good demonstration of the DBX's boot space. Even with the seats up it has 632 liters for luggage. Of course some people like to tow their hobbies around behind them, and it's worth pointing out that the DBS can only tow up to 2700 kilos, as opposed to the more usual 3500 kilos. But by and large, whatever Phil's your leisure time. Aston has gone to great lengths to have you covered. For example, if you like flinging yourself down mountains in winter, there's a snow pack complete with boot warmers or if you have a fleet of pomeranians that like to go on- Money walks, then you will want the pet pack complete with portable washer for that dirty little paws. [MUSIC] He's getting so angry about [SOUND] Now for some useful everyday scenario context, I thought I'd show you what a DBX looks like in some narrow streets. Lost me. I've no idea what you mean. Of course this sort of situation is only stressful if you're driving and is exactly why some like to be chauffeured to the shops in order to get the weekly supplies of custard creams and tiser bringing me neatly onto my next topic. One area that Aston Martin really has excelled itself with the DBX and which is pretty important for certain markets is the space in the rear. It's got a wheelbase of over three meters and the legroom is boom! Well, extraordinary really. I'm sitting behind myself as it were here and we've got this lovely panoramic roof as well. Nice and dairy definitely a selling point. This being an SUV there is of course the small matter of its off road ability. To be honest. It only has to not disgrace itself on a muddy field. But I have tried one on a limited offered course and it performed perfectly well, going up steep slopes. Down steep slopes, and through lots of mud and water. It would probably be rather fun on some fire roads. I'd go for the all season tar option though, if you do want to off road. Ultimately I suspect that even people who despise SUVs will want this particular SUV to be a ramp and success. Because, well, let's face it, Aston Martin probably needs the DBX to be a success if the company is going to survive, but the DBX can't rely on philanthropy alone for a bulging orderbook let's deal with the negatives first. What are the reasons you wouldn't buy one? Well 158,000 pounds in the UK or $190,000 in the US It's a lot of money. Some might also have been hoping for a hybrid powertrain equally others will be delighted that it doesn't have such a thing. The panel gaps on this car would certainly put some people off, but I'm hoping the full production cars will be better. And then what are the major selling points? Essentially, all the things that would attract you to a more conventional Aston Martin, the badge. The way it drives, for some people the looks, for others, the performance, the sound, certainly that appeals to me. And there are some things you wouldn't usually associate with an Aston. Like it's serenity on the motorway. Then there's a space in the back, which I really do think is [BLANK_AUDIO] Class leading. In short, I think Aston has produced a very credible SUV that will really appeal to some people., which is good news for those of us that want to see more advantages and vanquishes in the future. [MUSIC]

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