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Aston Martin DBX Luggage Test | Is there actually U in Aston's SUV?

Does it really matter how much stuff can fit in the cargo area of an Aston Martin? Yes! The brand has forever been known as the purveyor of GT cars, those intended specifically for grand touring over some significant distance where bringing along some stuff is likely. Two suitcases at the minimum, I'd say, with a decent amount of space inside for odds, ends, purses and/or little dogs. Good luck doing that in an Audi R8.  The Aston Martin DBX is an extension of that concept, admittedly to an extreme degree. Your tour is going to be so grand that you'll need even more stuff or have a bigger dog or need to bring the kids along or need to travel some distance over a rugged road. I like to think of it as a family GT car.  So, how family friendly is it? Well, the vast wheelbase provides a stunning amount of back seat space. I could easily fit my son's enormous Britax Boulevard rear-facing car seat and still have more than enough room for all 6-foot-3 of me to sit comfortably in the front passenger seat. I didn't even need to put it that far forward. That's rare. I've had to move up minivan front seats. Does the Aston Martin DBX have space for a rear-facing car seat? pic.twitter.com/RRYNN4O0li — Autoblog (@therealautoblog) February 13, 2022 But I'm here to talk cargo capacity, which is officially listed at 22.3 cubic-feet behind the back seat. I can tell you right now that's deceptive — there's far more than that would imply. Aston Martin, much like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and perhaps Land Rover, must be using a different measurement than most in the industry. A capacity of 22.3 cubic-feet would be in the midcompact SUV range, in between a Mazda CX-30 and Kia Seltos. I can definitively say it has more space than those. In fact, it has more space than compact luxury SUVs like the Genesis GV70, which is listed at 28.9. I would not be surprised if it would be in the low 30s if Aston Martin used a different measurement. You're not going to find may cargo areas with nicer carpet than this thing. Having a rubberized floor covering to keep in the garage would be a good idea. Now, like most SUVs, the DBX includes a cargo cover. It certainly isn't normal, though. It's a rigid piece, which is common among hatchbacks and crossover-coupes that have low rooflines that don't really afford much usable space between the cargo cover line and roof. That's not quite the case here.

Aston Martin DBR22 is a retro roadster for the lucky few

It's Pebble Beach Concours week, and you know what that means: high-end automakers showing new exotic machinery. Kicking things off is the Aston Martin DBR22. Aston calls it a concept, but that's more of a stretch than Honda with its "prototype" car reveals. The company has said it will build some. The exact number hasn't been given, but don't expect many. The company highlighted a couple of its previous special models such as the Vulcan and V600, each of which were made in numbers below 30 units. The car is more specifically from Aston's "bespoke" division, Q, and it's a celebration of the division's tenth anniversary. It takes its design inspiration from far longer ago, though. The DBR22's dramatic curves, lack of a windshield and towering cowls are all based on the company's 1950s race cars, particularly the DB3S and DBR1 (which already inspired another low-production Aston). The grille is even based on the latter's. The entire exterior is unique to the DBR22, down to the headlights and full-width tail light bar. It's all made of carbon fiber, too. The interior is also unique with leather wrapping most surfaces including the carbon seats. And being a product of the Q division, the handful of buyers will be able to customize pretty much every facet of the exterior and interior to their preferences. No matter how an individual's DBR22 looks, they should be the same under the skin. Aston's twin-turbo 5.2-liter V8 sits below the vented hood and makes 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque. It sends power through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. Top speed is 198 mph, and it will hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. No mention was made of what platform the DBR22 is built on, but it likely shares similarities with the DB11 and DBS. It boasts upgrades, though, such as shear panels front and rear for greater rigidity, plus unique tuning for the adaptive shocks. Most interesting is the rear subframe. It's made of multiple 3D-printed aluminum parts that have been bonded together. It's a preview of future Aston Martin production techniques and the company says it has allowed them to make a lighter subframe than normal with the same rigidity. It also lets the company more easily produce custom parts for low-production models. Aston Martin made no mention of when it will start building customer DBR22 models or when it will take orders. We wouldn't be surprised if the company has already lined up buyers.

Aston Martin Brough Superior AMB 001 starts testing, shows off new color

Aston Martin announced last fall it would be dipping a toe into the motorcycle world with the help of bike builder Brough Superior. The first bike is the AMB 001, and it's finally undergoing track testing and development. The turbocharged 180-horsepower motorcycle is shown on video powering around a race track. It offers a good look at the bike's double-wishbone girder-style front end in action, a signature of Brough Superior bikes. Aston Martin Brough Superior AMB 001 View 5 Photos Besides a look at the bike on track, the two companies showed a version of the bike with dark red tinted carbon fiber panels. It also has some spiffy red brake disc spokes. We also get a close look at the instrument display, which actually appears to be on a smartphone that fits in a slot on the tank. Not many other details have been revealed. The companies announced they would only build 100 examples of the AMB 001. Each one will cost 108,000 Euros — or just shy of $120,000 — and they'll be delivered at the end of the year. Related Video: