Aston Martin confirms DBX accessory packs

Go skiing? Do cycling? Have dog? Aston has DBX optional items for you...

A lot is riding on the success of Aston's upcoming DBX. From a seemingly strong position just a few years ago, and despite a product range as good as any it's had previously, things now seem eminently precarious. The company's share price has plummeted by nearly 75 per cent since it floated on the stock market last year, knocking more than £3 billion off its overall value. And despite sales in North America and China growing by 54 and 39 per cent respectively, Gaydon has seen a £20.8 million profit in the first half of 2018 turn into a £78.8 million pre-tax loss in the same period this year, as Brexit uncertainty dented its sales in the core markets of the UK and Europe.

A good deal of that money has been spent on development of the SUV, of course, including refurbishment of its new St Athan home. Development which Gaydon has recently been cornered into taking out a £120 million loan - on which it will have to pay an eye-watering 12 per cent interest per year until repayment in 2022 - in order to see through. A subsequent £80 million could be available beyond that - with an even higher interest rate of 15 per cent - but only if Aston is able to shift at least 1,400 examples of the DBX first, a big ask for a company which sold just 6,400 vehicles in total last year.

All of which goes to explain why bosses might be keen to ensure their new product appeals to as broad a swathe of customers as possible. With 550hp and 516lb ft from its 4.0-litre V8 engine, the sporting performance is certainly there to tempt buyers from their existing super-SUVs, but what about those looking for a bit of genuine utility?

Well, for those people the manufacturer has today announced an enormous range of optional accessories, including 11 separate customisation packages. These, Aston says, "will transform the DBX into a car that will not only enrich the lives of its owners on the road, but in every other aspect of their everyday lives." Bold.

As always with these things, a few of the packs are largely (or totally) superficial. The 'Expression' pack, for example, contains a key pouch, comfort headrests, illuminated tread plates, polished carbon fibre exhaust finishers and Aston Martin branded valve caps. We'll pass on that one. The Touring pack is slightly more useful, though, offering travel-focussed items including a four-piece luggage set and a lockable storage compartment beneath the front seats.

Car covers, cleaning kits, extensive floor mats and heated cup holders are amongst the upgrades on offer in the Sanctuary, Interior Protection and Essentials packs, before you get to the good stuff.

The Pet pack brings the genuinely handy combination of dog partition, portable washer, rear bumper protector and dog accessories. 'Event' includes event seating, a modular hamper, picnic blanket and extra umbrellas; 'Field' a gun cabinet and shooting stick; 'Adventure' mud flaps, roof bars and heavy-duty tread plates; 'Snow' a roof-mounted ski rack, ski bag, boot warmers and snow chains' and 'Bike' a roof-mounted bike rack and portable washer. Additional items including a roof box, surfboard holder and special edition leather-trimmed child seats are available individually too.

There's no word on which combinations of packs will be possible, with the addition of some obviously negating or preventing the inclusion of others, and pricing won't be made available until the DBX launches toward the end of the year. The variety of options on offer, though, does at least go some way to help the SUV stand out in a crowded segment.

Okay, so no one's going to buy a DBX just because they go skiing, have dogs, or want somewhere convenient to sit during little Tarquin's rugger match. But if they do all three, then the option of equipping the car just so may well help tip the balance in Aston's favour come decision time. For the sake of the brand as a whole, we'd better hope it does.