All Eyes on Me: Aston Martin’s First SUV Is Finally Here
This is the first new Aston Martin launched by the legendary British brand since it was rescued by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and a consortium of investors in early 2020. Long story short, the company was hit by a perfect storm of Brexit and the pandemic at the worst possible time: Aston needed a massive cash injection to ensure its new factory in Wales could produce the DBX, the company’s first SUV.
Stroll, who made his fortune in the fashion world, stepped up and is now overseeing both the road car business and Aston’s F1 racing team (for which his son Lance is a driver, alongside Sebastian Vettel). All of which is to say, the DBX didn’t exactly have an easy start to life.
To drive the DBX, though, is to be reminded why Aston Martin exists — and why we’re so glad it continues to do so, against all odds. Being in the cabin of this car is like sitting inside a giant Hermès handbag. The broguing and stitching on the Bridge of Weir hide is delightful; it’s the softest leather you’ll find in any car. In keeping with quality finishes, the floating centre console is milled from a solid hunk of wood. It’s not just thin veneer over plastic.
Sure, we’ll admit that the in-car screens and tech aren’t the latest and greatest, but if that’s a deal-breaker for you then you’ve missed the point of Aston Martin entirely. The SUV’s handling — somehow reminiscent of Aston’s DB11 coupe — is as refined as it looks. The DBX possesses a rare combination of alert steering, a sharp front end, and a pillowy ride quality, all of which make it an ideal companion for both daily commutes and tearing across the Scottish highlands. That’s in large part thanks to the fact the DBX doesn’t share its chassis with any mass-market SUV; it was designed from scratch by Aston.
A 108-year-old independent boutique automaker is a rarity in an industry dominated by giant conglomerates. As a result, the DBX makes other luxury SUVs feel homogenous and mass-produced. It’s a minor miracle that Aston Martin still exists. But now, with Stroll at the helm and the sublime DBX in showrooms, its future is looking bright.
Learn More about the Aston Martin DBX Here.
