NEWBURY PARK, Calif. – Just about a year ago, the title for our Aston Martin DBX review read as “Two Special People cars for the price of two.” And also not two affordable cars.No, no, that one costs $222,000. ka ching. However, as I argued at the time, at least you get the same amount as a $110,000 luxury SUV and $110,000 car. sport car in one package. In the context of garage space, how very economical.
Well, today we are looking at a 2023 Aston Martin DBX707. It costs $292,186, which is about the same as the price of three not-so-affordable cars. I’ll tell you right now that it doesn’t take a convertible or a pickup bed or any other magic trick to be three cars in one. It’s still only a special luxury SUV and a special sports car in one. So what exactly do you get for the cost of a more exceptional vehicle?
The name 707 refers to the amount of power its motor generates in pferdestärke, or metric horsepower, this would be the first indication that its engine was as British as Queen Victoria. You see, Great Britain and the former American colonies don’t believe in any of those measuring instruments and instead use mechanical horsepower, which would be 697. I guess DBX697 sounds more like a license plate is DBX707 ambiguous of Bondian? Either way, that would be 155 more horses DBX. It also generates an extra 147 pound-feet of torque, for a total of 663 lb-ft. Please don’t ask what that is in newton-meters.
To get all that extra power, Aston Martin scrutinized a re-engineered 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 version of the Mercedes-AMG-sourced DBX. Indeed, you won’t find a car with 707 specs wearing a three-pointed star. One of the initial changes Aston made was the order in which the cylinders were fired, resulting in a strange, slightly rocky sound that left the ladies and gentlemen of Affalterbach completely satisfied. The 707 was later fitted with a new turbocharger, a different induction and exhaust system, and a new engine control unit. The drive shaft is also carbon fiber, the final gear ratio is 7% shorter, and the gearshift paddles are not only larger but are also made of carbon fiber rather than metal. So, like the good Queen Vicky, the 707 engine was raised in England but with pure German DNA.
To handle all that extra power and assist in reducing the 0-60 time to 3.1 seconds from 4.3, Aston engineers replaced the standard DBX’s traditional automatic transmission with a other gearboxes. AMG the nine-speed unit has a wet clutch package in place of the torque converter. I didn’t know that particular piece of information during my week with the DBX707, so I can at least say that in typical driving, it shifts smoothly enough to not draw attention to the directional lineup. to higher performance.
Drive more aggressively? Unfortunately, the DBX707 came to me in the middle of one of the more atmospheric rivers in Southern California. That’s great for making the surrounding mountains look like I’m testing an Aston in Scotland, but not so good for the road conditions. Round a corner at 45 mph to spot a Mini Cooper-sized rock in the road that could ruin your day. And then there’s standing water. And mud. And cars turn into your lane to avoid standing water and mud. So yes, the powerful lap of the Santa Monica Mountains isn’t on the card.
Now, if I hit the Flintstonian obstacle, the 707 comes standard with carbon ceramic brake features a six-piston caliper with a 16.5-inch rotor at the front and a 15.4-inch rotor at the rear. They fill the standard 22-inch wheels, which in the test car meant gold calipers behind matte black crankshafts. They pair perfectly with the matte finish, officially called “Q Satin Titanium Gray” but completely green.
There are other chassis improvements. The steering wheel seems to have more effort off-center to enhance feel and response. Novel 48-volt operation roll The bars have been tuned for the same purpose, while the suspension has been re-tuned to better manage the body’s bounce, height and roll. It should be said that in my more powerful standard DBX rides, those movements weren’t excessive from a distance. Essentially, Aston Martin is focusing on one of the finest, most worthy SUVs ever made – especially in terms of steering, which remains one of the finest examples to be found anywhere. any modern motor vehicle regardless of body type. I’m also pleased to report that the 707’s ride quality doesn’t shift to granite due to the active suspension.
However, the big news is really the engine. Out of all of the standard DBX’s dynamic goodies, the engine is arguably the least impressive. “Smooth” and “effortless” are the best I can get. In contrast, the DBX707 is aggressive, shoving you and your family into your seats as the all-wheel-drive system grips the pavement and takes you away. Of course, such rapid acceleration was nothing special in the dawn of the Electric Vehicle Era. ONE Rivian R1S could theoretically match 0-60 times of 707 for hundreds of thousands less; the Tesla Model X half a second faster.
However, while they offer silence, the 707 delivers an explosive soundtrack of thunderous roars accompanied by shrill barks from the unique four-exhaust system. It’s a working system with two settings “Loud” and “Louder” (perhaps that’s not their name) activated by a button on the center console. As in regular DBX, everything is still immature Jaguar, but it is still mighty and noisy. And you don’t even have to move to enjoy it. Start the car normally and the engine/exhaust works with a clear but socially acceptable growl and bark. However, if you press that Start button while also pulling the giant left gearshift lever (that’s carbon fiber in the 707), you’ll do a little easter egg start sequence to turn the exhaust volume up. exceeds the level of “Piss the Neighbors Off” (also known as “Hey look at me!”). Isn’t it cool that nowadays you can do something in your car without tapping on the touchscreen?
Of course, the DBX707 does not have a touch screen. It looks like it, and you’re guaranteed to want to explore its Aston-specific user interface as if it were, but the system uses the same hardware as the final version of the Mercedes‘ the old COMAND interface: a redundant combination of knobs and touchpads that control everything on the non-touch screen. That’s not so great, and neither is this. The UI could be better laid out and it would certainly be nice if you could see more than one thing at once (like sounds and navigation). At least Aston offers a lot of real buttons on the center console, plus larger cup holders after people complained (myself included) about how useless they were at first. any. For the record, they just sort better.
In the end, the DBX had a visual change when converting to the 707 and I personally don’t think it’s any better. (Pictured above is the DBX707 in green and the regular DBX in gray). The enlarged grille may have historical precedent in that it resembles various Aston Martin Zagato limited edition models, but I’ve never been too interested in them. To be fair, it’s been extended, at least in part, to increase cooling, so it’s not only following the current trend of stretching the grille. There are also new air intakes, brake cooling ducts and “louvred bonnet spoilers”. Everything is finished in gloss black or carbon fiber if you prefer. The rear sees an extended spoiler accented with carbon fiber, but you’d be forgiven for missing that as your eyes are sure to be drawn to the huge diffuser that juts out beyond the bumper. There are also additional rear vents just behind the wheels.
The interface doesn’t stray into Tacky Land and the standard DBX doesn’t challenge exactly DB9 for beauty, but it’s hard to imagine earning that extra money just because it has a distinctly distinctive look. Even in terms of exclusivity, you are talking about a rare version of a rare car. Personally, I would be impressed by any version of the DBX that wears this beautiful luxurious combination between the exterior that doesn’t appear to be green and the interior that is actually called green. points in black. As for the engine, to be sure, it completely elevates the DBX to a level where perhaps the standard car should come closer. To be that thing Worth the price of another special car? Honestly, who cares? If you can afford it, go for it. Just remember to improve your pronunciation of pferdestärke.
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