The camouflaged prototype was missing quite a few of the production bits.
Aston Martin is fashionably late to the SUV party, but as Lamborghini is proving with its blockbuster Urus, better late than ever. Still camouflaged and missing many of the final parts, the DBX made an appearance a few hours ago during the first day of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. As with the test vehicles our spies have been photographing in the past few months, the first SUV from Gaydon was missing the rear door handles and had basic provisional taillights lending the vehicle a rather ungainly look.
Inside, the DBX seemed to have a roll cage instead of rear seats, but that won’t obviously be the case with the production model. We shouldn’t be judging the vehicle’s design at this stage since history has thought us that camouflage can be quite deceiving as automakers have perfected the art of disguise over the years.
The raspy soundtrack you’re hearing likely comes from AMG’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 considering it’s widely believed this will be the sole engine available at launch. Aston Martin’s own V12 should arrive later in the life cycle when we’re also expecting to see an electrified powertrain and quite possibly hotter versions carrying the “AMR” suffix.
Originally unveiled as a two-door concept back in March 2015, the DBX has advanced to pre-production phase at Aston Martin’s new factory in St Athan, Wales. It will be unveiled in the months to come, but full production is not scheduled to kick off until the first half of next year. Naturally, it will be one of the most expensive SUVs on the market and will inherit many bits and pieces from Mercedes, including some of the switchgear and the electric architecture.
The Aston Martin DBX will go up against the likes of the Bentley Bentayga and the Lamborghini Urus, but it will also have to fight Ferrari’s upcoming Purosangue SUV. Much like the Urus is now the best-selling model to come from Sant’Agata Bolognese, the DBX has what it takes to become the most popular vehicle in the British brand’s lineup given the SUV-obsessed market.
Gallery: Aston Martin DBX Prototype
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