First, the marketing B.S.
As you can plainly read, this latest Aston Martin DBX has a big number attached to its name. And, as you probably guessed, that number has something to do with how much power this new super-extra-duper SUV pumps out. It might even seem obvious that this latest iteration of the Aston Martin- nee -Mercedes-Benz 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 boasts 707 horsepower, right?
Well, yes and no. Yes, the new uber-DBX does indeed have 707 of something. But they’re not necessarily horsepower. Or, at least, horsepower as we understand them in North America. In fact, this fortified version of Aston Martin’s already-quite-sporty luxury ute has 707 PS, which is the German “metric” version of horsepower. Indeed, “PS” officially stands for PferdStarke , which, consulting Google Translate, literally means “horse strong” in German. Simple enough, right?
Of course, being metric, nothing is ever that simple. That’s because, officially, a PS is 98.6 per cent of a horsepower, that correction factor meagre enough to not make any difference in actual performance, but oft-times, a major conundrum for automotive marketers. To wit: Aston’s new DBX707 actually boasts 697 hp.
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
As to why the metric designation finds itself attached to a British car, which have traditionally been wed to the Imperial definition of horsepower, I don’t know. It certainly isn’t for lack of moxie. With the roughly 700 horses underfoot, the 10-digit difference between the two measurement systems is barely a rounding error. Even at 697 hp, the DBX is still the most powerful European ute extant and, at 3.3 seconds to 100 km/h, it’s tied with Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo GT for the quickest sport utility vehicle ever produced.
So, why the deception? Well, maybe it’s because of the symmetry of the number “707,” some marketing wonk sure to chime in how it rolls off the tongue so much easier than “697.” Or maybe it’s because Aston Martin couldn’t bear to be upstaged by Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Trackhawk — which has a real 707 hp — when they are so close to parity. Or perhaps, it’s a simple as “everyone’s doing it”: Lamborgini’s Urus — which is the European uber-ute that Aston is displacing for top-dog bragging rights — claims 650 horses. But that is, again, a metric designation, and its real number is 641 good, ole-fashioned American Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) hp.
Whatever the case, Aston Martin has dramatically turned up the boost on its already-robust 4.0L Twin Turbo to get an increase of 157 PS (that’s some 155 hp) as well as 147 more pound-feet of torque (for a total of 663 lb-ft).
Making all this power and torque manageable is a new nine-speed “wet”-clutch transmission — which sounds suspiciously like Mercedes-AMG’s SpeedShift MCT-9 trannie — and a new electronic limited-slip rear differential (e-diff) mated to an even shorter 3.27:1 rear axle ratio for even quicker acceleration. Of course, the DBX drives all four wheels, the torque distribution front-to-rear fully automatic and able to send all 100 per cent of those 663 torques to the rear wheels on demand, and since the e-diff is computer-controlled, it can be altered according to the desired handling characteristics preferred.
The DBX’s suspension has also been greatly enhanced to handle all the speed — the 707 will hit 310 km/h, says Gaydon — with the air suspension having the triple the volume of the base model. Spring rates have been stiffened, the eARC (Electronic Active Roll Control) has been recalibrated for even less roll, and the electronic steering system now more weighted for better ‘feel’ in corners. Top it off with huge 285/40YR22 (front) and 325/35YR22 Pirelli PZeros, along with some absolutely gargantuan 420-millimetre carbon-ceramic front discs — and six-piston calipers — and you’ve a chassis to match the brawny motor.
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Photo by Aston Martin
In the spirit of all this enhanced performance, Aston has revised the 707’s lower console, now containing new drive mode selection switches. Rather than having to fumble with a touchscreen sub-menu, the driver has fingertip control of key dynamic modes and settings through dedicated buttons for suspension mode, ESP, manual gear selection mode and active exhaust switch. I’m taking that as an encouragement to drive the upgraded DBX with a little more elan.
Said switchgear features a dark chrome finish — carbon fibre is an option — while Piano Black veneer is standard throughout the dash, with carbon fiber or bronze metal mesh veneer finishes available as an option. And, of course, Q by Aston Martin, the brand’s bespoke personalization service can commission anything from tinted carbon finishes to one-off interior trims at the consumer’s request.
DBX707 production will begin in Q1, with deliveries scheduled for Q2 of 2022. There’s also some good news specific to prospective 707 owners in Canada. While the American MSRP will be US$232,000 — which translates into roughly 300 large here in the Great White Frozen North — Aston’s official Canadian MSRP is $266,800. Cheap, right?
Keyword: First Look: 2023 Aston Martin DBX707