RE: First Aston Martin SUV confirmed as 'DBX'

[g3org3y]

Is this a 'from the ground up' developed SUV or based on another existing AM (or other) floorpan?

Major manufacturer in making SUV shocker.

People want these cars. Companies want to make money.

Any manufacturers left that haven't jumped on this bandwagon?

[BugLebowski]

Is sponsored Camo wrap now a thing? Glad to see Aston at the cutting edge of new revenue streams.

[AlexiusG55]

g3org3y said:

Is this a 'from the ground up' developed SUV or based on another existing AM (or other) floorpan?

Major manufacturer in making SUV shocker.

People want these cars. Companies want to make money.

Any manufacturers left that haven't jumped on this bandwagon?

Article says it's related to the forthcoming new Lagonda saloon. Perhaps it would have been better to badge this as a Lagonda too and leave the AM name for sports cars.

Then again, DB stands for David Brown, as in David Brown Tractors...

[Jader1973]

Piha said:

TimReed said:

It’s about integrity and legacy. Sports car companies and their designers should stop this mission creep. Anyone want a Land Rover mid-engined two seater sports? Don’t think so. It’s a nonsense. Leave 4x4s to 4x4 manufacturers and treasure the provenance of Aston, not bastardise it, chasing markets in Russia, the Middle East and China.

It's very interesting when people denigrate AM, Jag, Lambo et al for developing vehicles that sell well.

British industry is infamous for stubbornly sticking to a tried and tested formula and ignoring the competition. Look at the British car & motorbike industries of bygone years, refused to modernise their products and tried to dictate to the marketplace what consumers should buy. It was an utter failure think BSA, Triumph, British Leyland, the list is as long as your arm. And these decisions were always taken by management.

To the detractors, what do you want? A car company that's with current trends and financially viable or a company stuck in the past and financially on a cliff edge?

Bring on a Lotus/Jag/Ferrari/Lambo SUV if it means the company survives and if the marketplace buys 2 seater sports cars, these companies will still hopefully make them.

But they don't need to. Ferrari, Lambo and Aston aren't struggling financially. They charge huge amounts of money for cars that cost a fraction of that to design, engineer, and produce. They can pretty much charge what they want for their cars.

As for Jag, I suspect they're fked. They have a brand image of a not very good luxury passenger car maker (I see them as very like Volvo), and the only way they can get in to the SUV market is to build things that share platforms with their SUV maker sister company (which also has a pretty bad reputation), and therefore step on each others toes. They're trying to set Jag up as sporty SUV and LR as rough tough and luxury SUV. I'm not sure it is working. JLR need to turn Jag in to a luxury sports EV brand aimed directly at Tesla. Unfortunately modern Jags are at best derivative and at worst ugly which isn't a great start.

Lotus could go bankrupt (again) tomorrow and nobody would notice.

[Kenny Powers]

Bibbs said:

Plate spinner said:

Where are Aston Martin based?

Gaydon .. Gaydon .. Gaydon .. Gaydon .. Gaydon

It's awful, isn't it?

I suspect it’s a bit of an in-joke these days and he does it to wind people up

Not sure if I like the car but it’s impossible to say based on what I’ve seen. Judgement very much reserved for a showroom spec vehicle

[BFleming]

DJM7691 said:

BarcelonaLewis said:

The plates are registered to a BMW 520d

Odd....

Very odd, as the DVLA has it as an Aston Martin, Black, registered in October 2018. Everything else is a Zero or N/A though, in true mule form.
The plate is KP68MWU by the way.

Plate aside, the first thing I thought when I saw the side profile was 'Levante'. Then I saw a F-Pace/E-Pace mash-up. But I quite like it. Better than a lot of recent luxury SUV's, the Bentayga and Cullinan, to name them both.
I'm sure it'll be stunningly finished, will drive well on road, and never see an off-road environment once the press shots are done.
As for Aston currently being quids in, is that really the case? The Rapide was hardly a sales success, the Vanquish and DB11 are low volume, so I imagine all the eggs are in the new Vantage basket, complete with its AMG mechanicals. I look forward to being corrected here, as I genuinely like the brand & the current / recent product range.

Edited by BFleming on Wednesday 14th November 09:16

[Shambler]

It may just be me, but does the first picture not look like a Nissan Juke with an asto grill?

[Piha]

Jader1973 said:

Piha said:

TimReed said:

It’s about integrity and legacy. Sports car companies and their designers should stop this mission creep. Anyone want a Land Rover mid-engined two seater sports? Don’t think so. It’s a nonsense. Leave 4x4s to 4x4 manufacturers and treasure the provenance of Aston, not bastardise it, chasing markets in Russia, the Middle East and China.

It's very interesting when people denigrate AM, Jag, Lambo et al for developing vehicles that sell well.

British industry is infamous for stubbornly sticking to a tried and tested formula and ignoring the competition. Look at the British car & motorbike industries of bygone years, refused to modernise their products and tried to dictate to the marketplace what consumers should buy. It was an utter failure think BSA, Triumph, British Leyland, the list is as long as your arm. And these decisions were always taken by management.

To the detractors, what do you want? A car company that's with current trends and financially viable or a company stuck in the past and financially on a cliff edge?

Bring on a Lotus/Jag/Ferrari/Lambo SUV if it means the company survives and if the marketplace buys 2 seater sports cars, these companies will still hopefully make them.

But they don't need to. Ferrari, Lambo and Aston aren't struggling financially. They charge huge amounts of money for cars that cost a fraction of that to design, engineer, and produce. They can pretty much charge what they want for their cars.

As for Jag, I suspect they're fked. They have a brand image of a not very good luxury passenger car maker (I see them as very like Volvo), and the only way they can get in to the SUV market is to build things that share platforms with their SUV maker sister company (which also has a pretty bad reputation), and therefore step on each others toes. They're trying to set Jag up as sporty SUV and LR as rough tough and luxury SUV. I'm not sure it is working. JLR need to turn Jag in to a luxury sports EV brand aimed directly at Tesla. Unfortunately Jag SUVs are at best derivative and at worst ugly which isn't a great start.

Lotus could go bankrupt (again) tomorrow and nobody would notice.

Maybe they don't need to make an SUV right now but the marketplace is fluid. Car makers are thinking 5-10 years ahead and make decisions based on industry forecasts. Just like the Japanese car industry triumphed over British Leyland and pals, the likes of Datsun, Honda and Toyota were ahead of the game whilst BL churned out Austin Princesses and Maestro's!

Does AM's, Ferrari's and Lambo's future lay with low production, high profit 2 seater sports cars or similar products? If we look to the past, then no, it doesn't. One bad model and they are in trouble. They have always struggled for financial sustainability. It's like they were run by enthusiasts rather than business people with a viable profitable business plan thus securing their(and their workers) futures.

[TaylotS2K]

At quick viewing, the main article picture, I thought it was a Nissan Juke with an Aston shaped grill.

[TaylotS2K]

Shambler said:

It may just be me, but does the first picture not look like a Nissan Juke with an asto grill?

Ha! I didn't see this when typing, but see my post above.

[swisstoni]

Jader1973 said:

Piha said:

TimReed said:

It’s about integrity and legacy. Sports car companies and their designers should stop this mission creep. Anyone want a Land Rover mid-engined two seater sports? Don’t think so. It’s a nonsense. Leave 4x4s to 4x4 manufacturers and treasure the provenance of Aston, not bastardise it, chasing markets in Russia, the Middle East and China.

It's very interesting when people denigrate AM, Jag, Lambo et al for developing vehicles that sell well.

British industry is infamous for stubbornly sticking to a tried and tested formula and ignoring the competition. Look at the British car & motorbike industries of bygone years, refused to modernise their products and tried to dictate to the marketplace what consumers should buy. It was an utter failure think BSA, Triumph, British Leyland, the list is as long as your arm. And these decisions were always taken by management.

To the detractors, what do you want? A car company that's with current trends and financially viable or a company stuck in the past and financially on a cliff edge?

Bring on a Lotus/Jag/Ferrari/Lambo SUV if it means the company survives and if the marketplace buys 2 seater sports cars, these companies will still hopefully make them.

But they don't need to. Ferrari, Lambo and Aston aren't struggling financially. They charge huge amounts of money for cars that cost a fraction of that to design, engineer, and produce. They can pretty much charge what they want for their cars.

As for Jag, I suspect they're fked. They have a brand image of a not very good luxury passenger car maker (I see them as very like Volvo), and the only way they can get in to the SUV market is to build things that share platforms with their SUV maker sister company (which also has a pretty bad reputation), and therefore step on each others toes. They're trying to set Jag up as sporty SUV and LR as rough tough and luxury SUV. I'm not sure it is working. JLR need to turn Jag in to a luxury sports EV brand aimed directly at Tesla. Unfortunately Jag SUVs are at best derivative and at worst ugly which isn't a great start.

Lotus could go bankrupt (again) tomorrow and nobody would notice.

Do you think Lambo, Maserati, Bentley and all the other Famous Names are knocking out SUVs for a laugh?

[Shambler]

So how much for a tarted up Juke wearing lip stick?

[oilit]

From what I see, I believe this is not a tall car like a RR, I think it's a little more low slung 4x4 - and probably suits the AM DNA better that way.

I must admit I would be interested if it were hybrid in some way - I think going pure petrol (which is far better than any oil burning options) will limit it's appeal.

But then again I guess they don't want to go down market - hence they are trying to appeal to a similar demographic customer that that they have today who also own 4x4 - who would most likely take the RR or similar.

I just wonder if a hybrid would get them more of the yummy mummies (and dummy daddies) at the private schools - who today buy/pcp diesel RR !

I fear the most controversial bit will be the front end just like the vantage as i think it has similar look wrg the grille

Edited by oilit on Wednesday 14th November 09:39

[IforB]

Inevitable I suppose.

[ZOLLAR]

chrisga said:

Francis85 said:

Plate spinner said:

Where are Aston Martin based?

Royal Leamington Spa

Urr nope....

DBX being built in South Wales I believe.

[MCBrowncoat]

Rear reminded me of an MG SV (but worse)

[dunnoreally]

g3org3y said:

Any manufacturers left that haven't jumped on this bandwagon?

Mclaren, I think?

I don't understand why everyone gets so het up about this. So far as I'm concerned, yeah I don't want the SUV, but no-ones forcing me to buy one and the Astons I do want aren't going anywhere. So why should I care?

[BFleming]

ZOLLAR said:

DBX being built in South Wales I believe.

Correct, specifically at the former MOD site at St Athan, half way between Cardiff & Port Talbot.

[dazwalsh]

I see the anti SUV force are up early this morning.

I think the front looks great, side profile looks good too but i hope that is heavy camo on the rear disguising a lovely rear end, bit awkward looking on the pics.

[swisstoni]

dazwalsh said:

I see the anti SUV force are up early this morning.

I think the front looks great, side profile looks good too but i hope that is heavy camo on the rear disguising a lovely rear end, bit awkward looking on the pics.

That back end must be a gag. I'd expect to see something like the back ends on the current cars.