Aston Martin DBX 707 Review: Licensed To Thrill

Luxury and speed are synonymous with Aston Martin! As you are ready to board the luxury SUV that is the fastest in the world, there is little reason to question that assertion. The impact of those latter four lines was unquestionable, firstly because SUVs traditionally weren't designed for speed, and secondly because you don't want to anger the Raging Bull, excuse the pun. That is until Aston Martin made the unfathomable decision to provide the world with a car that is not only sumptuous and distinctively British but also perfectly fulfils its obligations to your family of four. Meet the Aston Martin DBX 707, the most potent luxury SUV in India. Pronounced "seven-oh-seven," this superb piece of equipment is the DBX's high-performance alter-ego. 

New front-end treatment sees the DBX 707 receive a larger front grille and an all-new design of DRL complete with new air intakes and brake cooling ducts, plus a new front splitter profile. 

Engine & Performance

The DXB 707 employs the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that Mercedes-AMG designed, but it produces 157 more horsepower, or 707 PS, and has 900 Nm of peak torque rather than 700 Nm. It becomes 697 bhp when converted to horsepower. But how did the company achieve this? To manage the extra torque, the engineers installed new ball-bearing turbos- to reduce the lag, change the engine map, and install a wet clutch in the 9-speed automatic gearbox. Faster gearshifts and better off-the-line starts are the results. However, why go to all that trouble?

Aston's engineers were able to accomplish record-setting numbers with the use of bigger turbos, ball bearings, and lots of calibration testing.

Obviously, to break every record that a sports SUV currently has. The Lamborghini Urus formerly held the record for performing the 0-100 kmph sprint in 3.5 seconds, but that time has now decreased to 3.3 seconds with the introduction of this vehicle. Even its top speed, which is 310 kmph as opposed to Urus' 305 kmph, is higher. 

 The dark chrome finish to the switchgear could have been tastefully done. 

With the DBX 707, Aston Martin intended to do that, and they have confidently delivered on that promise. Even so, the business will soon try to surpass the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT's time of 7 minutes, 39 seconds at the Nürburgring.

Ride & Handling

While Aston Martin strives to break all these records, it hasn't lost sight of its core values. That the DBX 707 is ultimately an SUV. The DBX 707 is not a Raging Bull, pardon the pun again, but it has its own personality distinct from the standard DBX. Aston Martin has extensively reworked the chassis to provide better control over this 2.2-tonne juggernaut. 

The satin chrome grille is enlarged to significantly increase cooling airflow.

Aston engineers have tweaked the damper valving, spring volume, and electric power steering, in addition to keeping the air suspension setup, to better control the heave, pitch, and body roll depending on the situation. Even the active roll control system has been tweaked to improve the car's agility.

All of this leads to an outstanding driving experience. Driving the DBX707, you quickly forget you're in an SUV because it feels like a sports car. When you push it hard enough, the car becomes monstrous. The aggressive exhaust notes and the availability of launch control make this car even more unique. If you're still not satisfied, switch to Sport+ driving mode to guide all that power to the rear, stiffening everything up for a more precise drive. The way DBX 707 handles itself will astound you.

A new lip spoiler has been added to the roof wing to reduce lift and increase high-speed stability.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the proper settings to test this out, but I'm sure drifting this at a racetrack will make me smile even wider. The wide Pirelli P-Zero tyres on 22-inch alloy wheels grasp well and the steering is direct and precise, just like a sports car. The brakes are brand new and massive, with carbon ceramic units all around and six-piston callipers. And they work flawlessly.

Exterior

There are many differences between the DBX 707 and the standard version of the SUV under the skin, and no matter how much time you spend with it, you will never get enough of it. But, before I leave to enjoy this, even more, let's look at what Aston Martin has done to the car's exterior. The new front-end treatment includes a larger front grille, an all-new DRL design, new air intakes and brake cooling ducts, and a new front splitter profile. 

The ducktail design is carried over from the Vantage.

The satin chrome grille has been enlarged to significantly increase airflow and is equipped with double vanes. The six horizontal bars have been split to make this model more easily identifiable. The dark satin chrome window surrounds and new louvred bonnet blades match the front grille and gloss black splitter faultlessly, and they continue along the flanks with gloss black side sills, which now have a plunging and more laboriously sculpted profile to give the DBX 707 a ground-hugging stance.

A significantly enlarged twin rear diffuser rises to meet the new large-diameter quad exhaust system.

The rear end is equally dramatic. To reduce lift and increase high-speed stability, a new lip spoiler has been added to the roof wing, with a significantly enlarged twin rear diffuser rising to meet the large quad exhaust system. It is finished in satin black to complement the diffuser's gloss black treatment. A new rear bumper with integrated quarter panel vents completes the rear-end changes.

New front-end treatment sees the DBX receive an all-new design for the DRLs with new air intakes and brake cooling ducts.

Tech & Interior 

The interior maintains this exclusivity, and I believe it is one of the best in the segment. Certainly, it feels dated when compared to the competition, but if you like old-school design, the DBX 707 is a Royal Flush. The sports seats are standard, as is the 16-way electric adjustment and front and rear heating. There are three interior environments to choose from- a standard Accelerate, which has a mix of leather and Alcantara, as well as the optional Inspire Comfort and Inspire Sport, which have full semi-aniline leather and embroidered Aston Martin wings on the headrest. The interior comes standard with a dark chrome finish on the switchgear.

A more contemporary approach for the cabin would be a suitable setting for the passengers.

In the spirit of putting the driver in command, the DBX 707 features a redesigned lower console with new drive mode selection switches. Rather than having to navigate to a sub-menu within the infotainment system, the driver now has immediate access to basic modes and settings.

A revised lower console makes switching between various functions effortless.

These include dedicated buttons for suspension mode, ESP, manual gear selection mode, which now holds manual rather than auto, and an active exhaust switch, which opens the valves of the new quad tailpipe sports exhaust system without having to be in Sport drive mode.

Embroidered Aston Martin wings on the headrest, a contrast stripe down the centre of the seat and a perforation pattern in the seat back and base cushion make for a comfortable setting.

And if you want to personalise the entire interior, you can always connect with Aston Martin's Q catalogue for a more personalised touch.

Prices & Rivals

The Aston Martin DBX 707 is priced at Rs. 4.63 crore (ex-showroom), which is Rs. 48 lakhs higher than the standard DBX and Rs. 1.50 crore higher than the Urus. The real rival to the DBX 707 is the Lamborghini Urus Perfomante, but that model has yet to arrive in India. Even so, the Aston Martin outperforms with higher output figures. 

The revised parameters made to the eARC system heighten the sense of agility and improve the balance of the car. 

The SUV also outperforms the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and even the Maserati Levante Trofeo. However, both SUVs cost less than half of what Aston Martin is asking for this.

Verdict

In my opinion, Aston's limited reach deters many potential buyers in India, but it also means that whatever the British carmaker offers wears the exclusivity tag quite well. And, yes, the DBX 707 looks the part as well, as dapper looking as the fictional British spy, and performs admirably. The changes from the standard version are also functional, making it a worthy competitor to any SUV on the planet, including all of the names mentioned above, but the one to watch is the Ferrari Purosangue, which is expected to arrive on our shores next year. But, until then, the Aston Martin DBX 707 can reign supreme in the Super SUV segment.

Photography By: Apoorv Choudhary