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2021 Aston Martin DBX looks the part, likely drives it, too

After 106 years in business and after five years working on development, Aston Martin presents its first-ever SUV, the DBX. Having seen spy shots and teasers of the vehicle's progress over the past year, it's everything we'd expect, and on first glance it holds up as an Aston Martin. The company's already told us there's an AMG-sourced, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 542 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful version of that motor in the English automaker's lineup. Shifting through a nine-speed torque converter automatic, zero to 60 miles per hour takes 4.3 seconds, top speed is 181 mph. We've heard the exhaust note. And we've seen the leather-filled interior and the $189,000 USD price, which comes to $192,086 after destination. What we now know are 24 pages worth of press release detail that make this a true Aston Martin. We'll share just a few of those details here. The exterior has all the rake and swoop one would expect. Astride the trademark grille shape are LED headlights, below those, DRLs ring two aerodynamic ducts that reduce lift and drag and cool the brakes. Frameless doors hide their window seals for a super clean look, and the B-pillars are fronted with glass to help the illusion of an unbroken expanse. The rakish rear glass slides down to a pronounced, fixed spoiler lip reminiscent of the Vantage. Two wheel sizes are offered, both 22 inches — the V-spoke design shown, and an optional Ribbon design that gives the "appearance of interwoven strands of contrasting color metal" that's inspired by "the interlocking antlers of stags in battle." The DBX comes on a new bonded aluminum platform specifically developed to support an SUV. Years of experience with the construction method helped engineers keep weight of the five-seater down to 4,940 pounds for the vehicle overall. The weight is dynamically managed by an adaptive air suspension bolstered by a 48-volt anti-roll system. The standard 7.8-inch ground clearance can be raised by 1.8 inches to clear a 19.7-inch wading depth, or lowered by a hair under two inches when easy access is needed to the 22.3 cubic-feet of trunk space behind the second row. The new AWD system uses an electronically controlled center diff and a rear differential to apportion torque, going from a 47/53 torque split to sending almost 100 percent of twist to the rear.

Aston Martin's extremely British DBS Superleggera special edition: DBS 59

Aston Martin just released a new special-edition model called the DBS 59. The name pays respect to Aston Martin's 1-2 finish in the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans with its DBR1 race cars. This car is based off the 715-horsepower DBS Superleggera, the fastest vehicle in Aston's current lineup. All the changes for the special edition car are visual, but they make for one hell of a stunner. Every DBS 59 will be painted in British racing green and use a plethora of gloss carbon fiber on the exterior. You'll see the carbon on the roof, roof strakes, rear valance, spoiler and hood louvers. To complement the carbon fiber, Aston used bronze accents in some spots like the front grille, badging, brake calipers and wheels. It all comes off as very British, and we're loving the classy looks of it. The interior is actually tri-toned. There are brown and black leather seats, but British racing green trim is found in some areas as an accent. Fabric designed to harken back to the same stuff used on the DBR1 was commissioned for the DBS 59's seat backs and door inserts. You get one of the cooler accessories packages with the car: The rear compartment holds special DBS 59 crash helmets. Period-correct blue race overalls, racing gloves modeled after those worn in the 1959 race, a bespoke two-piece luggage set and a car cover specific to your model number all come with the car. Speaking of model numbers, Aston Martin plans to make 24 of these — you know, because there are 24 hours in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Each car will have a small white painted number next to the side strakes to signify which one you got. All the mechanicals are the exact same as the normal DBS Superleggera. That's totally fine — the Superleggera goes 211 mph. Aston Martin doesn't provide a price, but you can order one now. Our guess is, if you have to ask, you can't afford it. Related video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin DBS 59 Image Credit: Aston Martin Aston Martin Coupe Luxury Performance supercar aston martin dbs superleggera

2018 Aston Martin Vantage Drivers' Notes Review | English style, German heart

Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore — The Vantage continues Aston Martin's evolution as a modern sports- and supercar maker. This machine feels special. It's gorgeous and translates Aston's design language effectively. It sounds intoxicating. I blasted around Detroit's sleepy suburbs one chilly night and felt a bit like James Bond. The AMG-sourced V8 is well-calibrated and works smoothly with the eight-speed automatic. Pulling the paddles is obviously fun. The steering returned proper feedback with adequate weight. The chassis is tight but not abusive. Considering the Vantage has so much power and technical prowess, it's still imminently drivable. I was comfortable almost immediately, and it's the kind of car that left me feeling satisfied and wanting more. That's the essence of Aston. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Synder — The V8 Vantage holds a special place in my heart, and my heart was beating faster just looking at it in our parking lot. It's a gorgeous car, and it stands up to close inspection. I love the detail, the colors, the look of the materials and how they accentuate the car's design. That attention to detail is even more pronounced inside the car, where there's something interesting going on everywhere you look, including the headliner. Driving the car is a lot calmer than you might expect. Yeah, it's fast and a bit stiff, but not jarringly so. The AMG V8 and eight-speed transmission work wonders together. The acceleration is smooth and linear, with shifts happening in an instant, and without drama. Plus, I love the giant paddle shifters mounted on the steering column. They're thin, but extremely long, and they're always right where you expect them to be when you reach out with your finger. There were just a couple things that stood out to me as imperfect. On the infotainment interface on the center tunnel, the control wheel is tucked away, which helps keep you from accidentally bumping it, but makes it a little awkward to use. The other thing was that the whole driver seat moved around underneath me. I'm sure Aston saved some weight with these seats, but this didn't feel very securely attached to the floor. I forgot about both of those things as I found my way out of traffic and onto some curvy roads. This thing builds and carries a ton of speed with ease. And as good as it looks in its natural state of motion, this car was turning heads — and cellphones — when prowling through the parking lot.