Aston Martin has revealed a handful of details about the DBX, the brand's first crossover utility vehicle, ahead of its official unveiling in December.
Aston says it will use a Mercedes-sourced 4.0L twin-turbo V8 borrowed from the Vantage and DB11 sports cars, but tuned so it "surpasses the performance credentials" of those models with 542 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The British sports car maker says the DBX also outdoes the DBS Superleggera in the braking department and can tackle corners as aggressively as the Vantage.
According to the manufacturer, the DBX has topped 180 mph (about 290 km/h) in pre-production form, and has "regularly" achieved sub-eight-minute laps of the Nurburgring's Nordschleife loop. That latter statistic theoretically puts the DBX in the same performance league as a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S (and you have to know the Cayenne Turbo was a DBX benchmark), the Panamera Turbo, and BMW M2.
The short video accompanying today's revelation (which you can watch below) demonstrates the DBX's exhaust note, which Aston says is the result of long hours spent by its acoustic team to lend the engine a strong sound signature.
Despite its latest high-performance hyperbole, Aston has previously said the DBX will also be capable of more utilitarian feats, like towing, light off-roading, and transporting four adults in its presumably posh cabin.
When Aston reveals the production-ready DBX, we'll tick off the list one more automaker making its foray into the profitable SUV marketplace. The DBX will follow the Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Lamborghini Urus into the prestige SUV segment, leaving Ferrari as the most notable holdout -- though it is, apparently, considering adding a utility to its lineup.
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