SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE

Aston Martin’s new DBX boasts the capability of an SUV with the soul of a sports car, says Tom Howard

Oscar Wilde famously said, “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.” They say the best way to see London is from the back of a black cab, and in most cases this is probably true. Unless of course you’re driving the new Aston Martin DBX.

This is Aston Martin’s first SUV in 107 years of designing vehicles and comes with the promise of delivering a broad range of versatility and capability with the soul of a sports car.

Pavilion Road in the heart of Chelsea is home to Hans’ Bar & Grill where I’m ordering breakfast and coffee after a refreshing evening at 11 Cadogan Gardens. I can see our Satin Titanium Silver DBX parked at the end of the Mews, looking at home in the City.

The DBX is the work of Aston Martin’s award-winning in-house design team led by their Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, and manages to bring a level of sculpture and sleekness to a sector perhaps not normally known for elegance. The fastback design of DBX gives elegance to the overall shape, whilst it being designed from the inside out ensures that it will cater for a large family or four adults with ease.

Still, we’re here on a sightseeing road trip, and London is a spectacular city with plenty to see. Aston Martin has a way with interiors that ensure you feel right at home whilst still maintaining a sense of occasion that makes every journey unique and loading the DBX highlights this. The scent of Bridge of Weir leather wafts through the cabin as if it’s been trimmed that morning, with the Alcantara roof lining and industryfirst full Alcantara panoramic roof blind adding to the luxuriously handcrafted interior – into which went more than 200 hours of hand-stitched craftsmanship.

Setting off from 11 Cadogan Gardens, the sound is unquestionably Aston Martin, with a new version of the characterful 550PS 4-litre twin-turbo V8 carefully tuned to the needs of an Aston Martin SUV. With an active exhaust system, it can sound refined one moment and then exhilarate your senses the next – although in London, with a relaxed day ahead and only a cocktail deadline at The Mayfair Townhouse later that evening, it’s quite pleasant to just enjoy the evolving skyline rising amongst the historic monuments along the Thames.

My sights were set on enjoying the views from lesser-viewed angles, and wherever you sit in the vehicle there is a sense of space and lightness with a fantastic view of the world you’re passing through. From driving between the imposing glass towers of the city to marvelling at the golden light reflecting over the South Bank, there wasn’t a single time when the DBX didn’t provide the perfect viewing platform.

Heading further into London, with the occasional coffee and pastry

“The DBX delivers supreme confidence in the city. It feels refined, comfortable, spacious and nimble, and befitting of a car wearing the Aston Martin wings on its bonnet”

“The fastback design of DBX gives elegance to the overall shape, whilst it being designed from the inside out ensures that it will cater for a large family or four adults with ease”

stop, it becomes clear how much thought has gone into the design of this car. At the bottom of the doors for example, cutaway sills reduce the stepover required to enter or exit the car, while reducing the risk of ruining clothing on a dirty exterior. Small touch, but huge appeal – and appreciated when you’re driving through a British winter.

Now, it wouldn’t really be a trip to the capital without taking a slight detour along Bond Street for a few pieces befitting of the DBX, ending up around the corner from our cocktail destination at The Dandy Bar. Of course, with 632 litres of boot space, you’ll not only find yourself shopping for more than you need, but also appreciating how good this car looks parked on one of the world’s most prestigious shopping destinations.

Finally, after a lengthy sightseeing trip around London completed with the elegance and grace that DBX brings, we arrived at our home for the evening, The Mayfair Townhouse. Nestled along Half Moon Street, and synonymous with Oscar Wilde, it’s straight to check-in at Iconic Luxury Hotels’ latest property, before finding the time to unwind with the promised cocktails in The Dandy Bar.

As a luxury SUV, the new Aston Martin DBX delivers supreme confidence in the city. It feels refined, comfortable, spacious and nimble, and befitting of a car wearing the Aston Martin wings on its bonnet, DBX also has the ability to deliver a dynamic and emotional experience akin to the brand’s iconic sports cars. It looks sensational on the road, and parked up outside The Mayfair Townhouse you’d wonder what Oscar Wilde would write about a car with the capability of an SUV and the soul of a sports car.

With thanks to The Gentleman Racer Ltd