Quicker than a Urus
ASTON MARTIN has revealed the DBX 707, the most powerful version yet of its luxury SUV.
Along with visual tweaks and other mechanical fettling, the biggest changes come under the bonnet where the standard DBX’s twin-turbocharged V8 engine has been tuned to develop 697bhp — considerably more than had been expected from the AMG unit and making the DBX 707 faster from 0-62mph than a Lamborghini Urus.
The 707’s grille is larger than the standard DBX’s while the daytime running lamps have been redesigned alongside the air intakes and brake cooling ducts to channel air more efficiently, not just to the bigger carbon-ceramic brakes but also to the revised engine. The front splitter too has seen a redesign.
Dark accents such as the black side sills give the DBX 707 a more aggressive and sporty look, while the rear has received a new lip spoiler and an enlarged diffuser. It comes with 22in alloy wheels as standard, although 23in rims are an option.
Inside, 16-way electrically-adjustable heated sports seats are also standard, while a range of finishes can be picked for the interior, including leather and Alcantara.
Compared with the regular DBX, the lower dash console has been revised to contain new drive mode selection switches. According to Aston Martin, rather than having to prod through infotainment system sub-menus, the driver has more immediate fingertip control of driving modes and settings including dedicated buttons for adjusting the suspension, stability control and manual gear selection.
Aston Martin confirmed to Driving.co.uk that the DBX 707 won’t be given a new touchscreen infotainment system, though; the basic (non-touch) screen on the DBX was one of the car’s biggest surprises — and disappointments — and the flagship DBX’s infotainment remains controlled via the dials and buttons on the wheel and in the centre console.
All this switchgear is finished in a dark chrome finish with a piano black veneer surround as standard; carbon fibre or bronze mesh veneer finishes are also available as options.
The biggest things that set the 707 apart from the standard model are the extensive mechanical changes to the engine and gearbox. In its most powerful form to date, the 4-litre M177 twin-turbo V8 developed 630bhp in the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S saloon. A whole suite of mechanical changes has seen that amped up to 707PS (697bhp), hence the new DBX’s name.
Chief among those changes are new turbochargers and an engine recalibration to liberate more power and torque (664lb ft).
Allowing that extra power to be sent to the wheels is now a nine-speed wet-clutch automatic transmission, capable of handling much greater torque loadings than the previous unit. A wet clutch system consists of a number of clutch plates all lubricated and cooled by oil to allow for greater throughput of torque than a regular transmission.
This, the company says, leads to much faster gear changes and, in conjunction with the new gearbox, revised rear limited-slip differential and improved launch capability, has led to a reduced 0-62mph of 3.3 seconds. That’s 0.3 seconds faster than a Lamborghini Urus, one the DBX’s biggest rivals.
With great power, however, comes great responsibility, meaning that the DBX’s brakes have been thoroughly beefed up with 420mm carbon ceramic discs at the front (390mm at the rear), six-pot calipers, better cooling and recalibrated hydraulics to give more pedal feel. As well as providing greater stopping power the new braking system results in a 40.5kg reduction in overall weight.
The DBX 707 retains the architecture of the standard DBX’s air suspension system, but the damper valves and springs have been changed to give a sharper feel by reducing pitch and body roll, something that is all aided by a tweaked Electronic Active Roll Control system.
This latest model marks part of an effort by Aston Martin to expand the DBX range to appeal to more buyers. In addition to this and the standard V8, a 3-litre six-cylinder mild-hybrid model was launched in China in 2021.
With the 3,001 DBXs sold globally last year making up the equivalent of almost half of Aston Martin’s wholesale sales, it’s clear how important this model is to the company, and it’s unlikely that the 707 will be the last variant of DBX launched.
While there may be more mild hybrids in the future and possibly the addition of the 5.2-litre V12 engine that powers some Mercedes-AMG cars, with which Aston Martin models share some technology and engines, a forthcoming AMG plug-in hybrid system could eventually make it into the expanded DBX range to provide a more eco-friendly alternative to V8-only bruisers such as the DBX 707.
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