Aston Martin has released the first official picture of the upcoming DBX's interior alongside confirmation that it'll cost £158,000 when order books open on November 20th. That makes the brand's first SUV £28k pricier than Bentley's entry-level Bentayga and less than two-grand cheaper than the mighty Lamborghini Urus, raising expectations for the performance to be offered by the V8-powered newcomer. Fittingly, the interior pic - and accompanying bumf - suggest the DBX may fill the gap between those two bookends of the super-SUV segment rather nicely, as did the experience provided to us from the passenger seat...
We already know the DBX's bonded aluminium underpinnings are completely bespoke, and it seems the freedom that has been afforded chief creative officer Marek Recihman and his team has enabled several key traits to be designed into its base from the off. Aston claims class-leading cabin space, a sports car-like driving position from those bolstered seats and lower-than-usual back bench, as well as masses of luggage room despite the low-set roofline seen on development cars. And while the dash is largely out of view in the pic, we spot a wholly integrated TFT infotainment screen (unlike the dash-top screen of other Astons) and wraparound design to go with it. There also looks to be a digital instrument cluster and separate screen for the rear climate control. It's all-new stuff.
It looks plush, too, with tan leathers and Alcantara, although we'll have to see if it matches the outright poshness of a Bentayga. But reading between the lines of Aston's release, it seems the DBX is being given a character more closely aligned with its sports cars, so we'd like to think the focus was on nailing seating, wheel and pedal box position rather than maximising chintz. That wouldn't exactly be breaking new ground, what with even the Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio offering similar traits, but along with those drift shots of chief engineer Matt Becker during development, it adds to the anticipation that the DBX is an SUV to offer genuine dynamic prowess. At the moment, we see it as a more elegant alternative to the Urus, rather than a Bentayga rival. Fingers crossed, eh.
That being said, Aston really does hammer home the lengths its engineers and designers have gone to in ensuring the DBX is well suited to both male and female buyers. In China - where the car will make its world debut in two weeks to emphasise the market's significance - around 50 per cent of DB11 V12s are bought by women and you might imagine there's a good chance they'll account for a majority of DBX sales. So the venerable British marque has worked hard to ensure good visibility and comfort for all shapes and sizes of driver; heck, there are even cubbyholes big enough to hold hand bags. Expect that kind of all-court approach to be reflected in how the DBX drives, too; even with the performance and vocals of an AMG 4.0-litre under the bonnet. A Maserati Levante Trofeo, it won't be. It's still an Aston Martin, after all.
Anyway, that's our best guess for now. We'll know more when the covers are pulled off officially on the 20 November in Beijing and full details of Aston's first foray into the world of 4x4s is upon us...