TESTED 8.3.22, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ON SALE SPRING
ASTON MARTIN DBX 707 Gaydon’s aimed to make the world’s fastest production SUV – with no compromises he new DBX 707’s place in the world might seem obvious: a brawnier version of Aston Martin’s fine-handling SUV to put some clear water between it and its rivals in this ultra-competitive class. But it has another role, one that causes Aston boss Tobias Moers to crack a predatory grin: proving itself the world’s fastest production SUV. The proof will doubtless come at the Nürburgring, where Aston plans to use the 707 to break the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT’s 7min 39sec lap record. And that’s break as in smash. But while that’s the target, the revisions haven’t been allowed to compromise the DBX’s gentlemanly manner. Moers spends far longer talking about the new chassis settings than the revisions that have delivered the headline power figure (new ball-bearing turbochargers and a heavily revised induction system). While the front suspension has been stiffened to improve steering response, the rear dampers have been softened to improve traction. Having demonstrated that it’s also capable of some lurid drift angles, Moers leaves me to experience the 707 for myself. Yes, it’s both savagely loud and ludicrously fast when unleashed, launching hard and with the short gearing of the new nine-speed ’box making it hard to keep up with the engine’s ravenous demand for new ratios when under manual control. But slowing for and getting around the first corner of Silverstone Stowe circuit proves that the rest of the 707 feels correspondingly upgraded, too.
T
Handling is predictable at and even over the limit; interior gets a sporty makeover The revised front geometry has removed any hint of slack from the steering, but not at the expense of an increase in force necessary to turn the wheel. It’s still lightly weighted, although feedback is forthcoming. Responses are both keen and accurate, and even taking liberties with kerbs engenders no significant kickback. The steering feels very AMG-like, which, given Moers’s pre-Gaydon life, is hardly surprising. Although the anti-roll system cancels most lean, it can’t disguise either the slightly odd sensation of sitting so high in something so potent or the fundamental challenge of persuading 2245kg of mass to change direction quickly. In slower corners, it’s not hard to provoke understeer, although it isn’t excessive and happens under loadings that would rarely occur on a road. But nor is it hard to engender oversteer, with the stability control system’s permissive Sport mode allowing impressive slides before
intervening; and the more heroic (or foolhardy) can turn it fully off. Such dramatics won’t be high on the priority list for too many potential buyers. The 707’s predictability at and beyond its limits will instead be one of its key strengths for that putative Nürburgring time. More important is the fact it doesn’t seem compromised when driven at more realistic speeds. Moers claims its real-world comfort level is actually higher than that of the regular DBX. Other changes include new sports seats, which clamp you securely, plus a revised centre console with a rotary driving mode selector plus separate buttons for dampers, stability control and the manual gearbox mode. While much less flamboyant than the Lamborghini Urus both inside and out, the 707 is almost certainly considerably faster. For a perspective on its outlandish performance, consider the fact that its claimed 7.4sec 0-100mph time is just 0.1sec behind that of the Jaguar
XJ220, the fastest car in the world 30 years ago. Yet this is what the top end of the market wants. Indeed, Moers reckons the 707 is likely to make up more than half of DBX production. MIKE DUFF
ASTON MARTIN DBX 707 PROTOTYPE Shockingly quick, thanks as much to its predictable chassis as its uprated V8, yet remains comfy and refined Price Engine
£189,000 V8, 3982cc, twinturbocharged, petrol Power 697bhp at 6000rpm Torque 663lb ft at 4500rpm Gearbox 9-spd automatic, 4WD Kerb weight 2245kg 0-62mph 3.3sec Top speed 193mph Economy 19.1mpg CO2, tax band tbc RIVALS Bentley Bentayga Speed, Lamborghini Urus
TESTER’S NOTE The 707 is still able to take a towbar, with the ability to haul up to 2700kg. Aston is working on an electrically deployable item to replace the awkward clip-in one of the regular DBX. MD
30 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 16 MARCH 2022
