Aston Martin

DBX707 AMR23 Edition

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Intensity Embodied: Aston Martin’s DBX707 AMR23 Edition

30 January, 2025

Words by:

Cobey Bartels

Cobey Bartels road tests the most powerful SUV money can buy

Bursting to life with a throat-clearing bark, condensation expelled from its four fist-sized tailpipes, my hyper-luxurious steed settles into a gruff idle. I leave my breakfast spot with a feverish trepidation rarely felt in a test vehicle.

With little seat time thus far, but a vague idea of what I’m dealing with, a liberal stab of the go-pedal has my photographer and I accelerating with alarming thrust, both left grinning ear-to-ear, faces scrunched, side-eyeing each other as if we’ve done something very naughty. The kind of shared joy a driver and passenger feel in a very special car. 

“You’re kidding,” he strained, his torso plunged violently into the seatback. “My stomach is back there somewhere.”

It’s the most shockingly quick, and expensive, vehicle TM has tested and I still can’t shake the dramatic V8 soundtrack from my psyche. It isn’t a supercar, though, it’s an SUV. 

But it’s the fastest SUV in the world.

I’ve been handed the keys to Aston Martin’s F1-inspired DBX707 AMR23 Edition, a 520kW/900Nm ‘super-SUV’ that’ll dispatch the 100km/h sprint in an eye-watering 3.3 seconds – an identical time to that of the once world-beating Maclaren F1, in a two-plus-tonne SUV, no less.

I ought to be thankful, too. This is a car that may not have not been conceived, had the stars not aligned for the 112-year-old prestige brand. Aston Martin needed a win, as it faded into obscurity throughout the noughties and teens, the result of buyers increasingly opting for SUVs over sports cars. Sad, really, but such are the times. 

Aston had fallen on hard times before though, teetering on the verge of bankruptcy for much of its life, changing hands countless times across the past century. In 1946 tractor magnate David Brown purchased the company, famously suggesting that saving the brand was a recurring theme for buyers, but making money was ‘optional’.

As if history was repeating itself, the British marque was propped up by yet another guardian angel a few years back. This time, it was Canadian billionaire Laurence Stroll – father of F1 driver, Lance Stroll – and a consortium of other investors, with a deal worth around £500 million.

This fateful deal led to two things that have proven particularly advantageous for the marque; Aston Martin becoming a factory Formula One team from 2021, and the birth of the brand’s first SUV. The former did, coincidentally, involve the Canadian Magnate’s son scoring a seat alongside veteran Fernando Alonso – nepotism or well-earned, i’ll reserve judgement, but he was already driving for the Racing Point team that would rebrand to Aston Martin.

Aston then waded into unknown territory, deciding to develop a hyper-luxury SUV. While its competitors are all owned by large automotive conglomerates, with seemingly endless R&D budgets, parts bins and shared platforms, Aston went at it alone – with renewed enthusiasm and fresh funding. Perhaps, too, the fear of an untimely end provided the proverbial boot up the behind for the people tasked with building the company’s first ‘family car’. 

Enter Aston Martin’s take on the SUV, injecting heritage and drama into an otherwise humdrum segment. I won’t pretend I love SUV’s, or even agree that they offer utility (estates offer more, without the compromises), but consumers prefer a box on wheels and unfortunately automotive brands listen to their buyers – not us. In a world that demands utility over excitement, though, the DBX707 might be exactly what this segment needs – a no-holds-barred supercar in SUV clothing, for those of us who still enjoy driving. It’s moderately practical, too. 

 

 

What makes the DBX707 so special?

The DBX is fast, but the DBX770 is blistering.

Aston Martin took the AMG twin-turbocharged V8 engine from the DBX and made it even more powerful for the 770, before shoehorning the Bavarian powertrain into a beefed-up version of its British body, resulting in a genre-bending masterpiece that can’t be dismissed as a fluke. 

In fact, the man behind the engine fettling is ex-AMG engineer, Ralph Illenberger, who knew he could squeeze more juice – to the tune of 115kW/200Nm– from the race-developed platform. As it stands, it makes more power than any AMG model equipped with the engine. To achieve this, Illenbeger used ball bearing turbochargers, a new engine calibration, and a stronger, faster-shifting wet-clutch-equipped version of the nine-speed gearbox.

“The huge gains we have found in both power and torque demonstrates not only the inherent prowess of the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, but Aston Martin’s appetite and ability for finding uncompromising engineering solutions,” Illenberger says.

Beyond fiddling with the engine, Aston fitted carbon ceramic brakes, additional cooling ducts, a larger front grille, a stronger (and shorter) rear limited-slip differential, an electronic power steering setup, and a revised version of its air suspension system. The DBX707 isn’t a base DBX with a tune-up, it’s another beast entirely.

As a whole, this SUV has to be the result of designers and engineers coming together in perfect harmony – a phenomenon that must be rare, given how few cars make this much sense. It looks, feels and drives like a ground-up, blank-slate exercise, which is more than can be said for 99 percent of new vehicles. Truly. 

Design and engineering, or form and function, rarely blend as seamlessly as they have in Aston Martin’s DBX707. The astronomical price tag, north of half-a-million dollars, perhaps indicates how much it cost the marque to achieve such a feat, but emotion and raw mechanical prowess like this are surely the result of passion – not just development dollars. 

While the performance versions of many SUVs are simply widened, lowered and adorned with an often awkward array of lairy go-fast parts, the DBX707 is a ground-up interpretation of the super-SUV. Honestly, the majority of super-SUV’s strike me as tacky, as if they’ve been designed by teenage boys with a PlayStation controller and a selection of bodykits to choose from.That may sound harsh, but type ‘DBX707 competitors’ into Google and you’ll see what I mean.

The exceptions to the rule are the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and this – the DBX707. Take the rear section of the DBX707, admittedly jarring at first, which is covered in carbon fibre, functional aero and flanked with the largest rear diffuser I recall seeing on an SUV. Somehow the designers and engineers landed on a rear-end that is one of the most elegant and aggressive you’ll find – in equal quantities– yet it’s functional. It all looks as though it was designed for this car, not slapped on as an afterthought. 

The entire exterior of the car adheres to Aston Martin’s design language, evident in how remarkably recognisable its maker is from every angle. This is clearly an Aston Martin, no matter who you ask. Its proportions are perfect, elongated and exaggerated, sure, but it’s all proportionate. The only other marque that achieves this so expertly, and has since the very beginning, is Porsche. The folks in Stuttgart make stunning SUV’s, presenting the most likely competitor to the DBX with the Cayenne Turbo GT. The Aston does still trump it for power and is perhaps a little sexier, too. 

Sliding into the DBX, the interior layout is also quintessential Aston, unique and richly-appointed. I can’t quite work out why it’s such a special place to be, but I don’t want to get out. It doesn’t feel right drinking a coffee, or god forbid a sticky can of coke, in a car this nice. So, I find myself opting for a Doppio, leaning against the car and disposing of the tiny cup before planting myself back in the soft leather seats. This is a truly refreshing interior, almost classic in its simplicity and, like good sheets or a really nice towel, it’s all about the materials.  

Tactile gear selection buttons sit high on the dash, as opposed to the console-mounted selectors found in most vehicles. There are also buttons for ride height control, exhaust modes, traction control and anything else that matters to an Aston owner, recessed within the carbon fibre centre console. Pressing these buttons means something, certainly more than tapping away on a touchscreen as software sends signals to a switch that then completes a task. Just give me a button, cut out the middle man, it’s tactile and more satisfying that way. 

Then there’s the beautiful steering wheel (of the round variety), seats and dash, wrapped in supple, muted black and green leather with yellow stitching. The DBX strikes a stunning balance between race-inspired carbon fibre, of which the interior contains an alarming amount, and supple black leather that smells as luxurious as it looks. It’s a juxtaposition I am very much about and, from where I’m sitting, this feels as much like a cockpit as it does a cabin.

The interior of the DBX707 oozes opulence while reminding you, with all of that carbon fibre, that this is a race-bred steed. Don’t make me get out, because right now I’m finding any reason to stay right where I am. 

Q division treatment

Aston Martin’s ultra-exclusive Q division fettled the DBX707 with a degree of finesse that is as impressive as the original car’s design achievements, delivering an AMR23 Edition that tributes the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team.

The AMR23 was built to celebrate the success of Aston Martin’s Formula One team in 2023, after Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll pedalled the team to a second place spot in the Constructor Standings early in the season, before ending the year in a respectable fifth place.

Aston Martin’s Q division applied the firm’s signature Podium Green hue to the DBX707, further enhanced with lashings of carbon fibre aero and race-inspired lime ascents that flank the angular exterior body kit trim. 

Once inside, signature stitching and carbon fibre veneers elevate the special edition model, and understated badging reminds you that this AMR23 is a carefully-curated creation – a tribute to the marque’s contemporary Formula One success.

I’m not one for sticker packs or fresh trim colours masquerading as a special edition. This, however, feels genuine. It resembles its distant F1 relatives about as much as it can without losing the soul it has worked so hard to achieve. It’s all very subtle, but I’d take an AMR23 over a standard DBX707 and wouldn’t tell you to save your money if you, like us, are a fan of the Aston team and the sport more broadly. 

I actually find myself wiping the aluminium kick plates at every opportunity, making sure the stunning AMR badging isn’t masked by crud. I don’t normally do this, but it must be an Aston driver thing.

Blistering brilliance on-road

While some of its closest super-SUV rivals adopt a Jeckyll and Hyde demeanor, offering a manic shift between insane performance and everyday mundanity, the DBX770 stands as a balanced all rounder. 

It may have been more comfortable, or faster around a racetrack, had its designers decided to forego balance in favour of such a split personality. But as a result of its balance, the DBX feels like a super-SUV, and doesn’t pretend to be a sports car. It’s capable of popping its collar and deepening its voice when asked to, but there’s no identity crisis here.

During my first outing, which involved a cautionary trip home from Aston Martin’s Brisbane Dealership, it quickly became apparent just how tremendously balanced the DBX is. Not the rabid dog so many Supercars are, nor the boring box-on-wheels so many SUVs prove to be, but a car I actually wanted to be in – even after poring over its lower, sleeker, faster stablemates in the showroom. 

Drive modes go a long way in balancing the Aston’s supreme comfort and all-out performance, but even in Sport+ – the most aggressive drive mode, particularly with regards to the gearbox’s urgency – the DBX770 remains comfortable and doesn’t feel like it see-saws in the wrong direction. I quickly realise it doesn’t matter what drive mode I’m in, the DBX remains…itself. I’m playing with buttons for the sake of it now.

The nine-speed AMG ‘box, too, can be a savage operator when required, as it sling-shots the DBX off the line with manic urgency, but is just as happy to politely swap cogs for comfort, without once tripping over its selection. It’s almost as if it was made for this engine, and this car.

Simply opting for the Dynamic drive mode, while toggling the exhaust valves ‘open’ via a separate switch, the DBX770 strikes a near perfect balance as a hyper-fast SUV you can quite comfortably daily-drive. Before this I hadn’t found such balance, perhaps due to the SUV platform’s inherent compromises – requiring incredibly stiff damping to reduce body roll and immense power to move two-plus-tonnes of metal. Not exactly a combination conducive to comfort. 

The DBX does, however, seem to put power down better than any of its competitors, or at least it does so with more gusto. It offers an obvious rear-bias attitude under hard acceleration – particularly out of corners – that suggests much of its grip comes mechanically as the sensational electronic limited-slip diff between the rear treads partitions torque accordingly. In fact, Aston Martin tells us that the DBX707 is capable of sending 100 percent of its torque to the rear axle, and its tail-happy tendencies can be felt. 

The air suspension is absurdly compliant, yet firm when you need it to be, seemingly telepathic in its millisecond adjustments. Complex air systems have come a long way and seem to offer the best all-round performance for heavy vehicles like this one, benefiting from virtually unlimited ‘spring rates’. This system appears impervious to road imperfections, despite enormous 23-inch wheels, and does an admirable job limiting body roll despite its plushness. Its ability to drop the DBX707 onto its belly, lowering the ride height for a felt dynamic improvement, is another benefit of the air setup and a party trick I won’t grow tired of.

I suspect much of the dynamic magic is in its 48-volt anti-roll system that works alongside the air suspension to keep the hulking body flat through corners – and at speed. Air systems are capable of remaining soft, even rolly-polly, until inputs require them to firm up and this way the car squats, rolls and dives suggest Aston Martin tuned plenty of character into the system. Even in the most aggressive Sport+ driving mode, the burly Aston’s ride remains cloud-like until physics demand it hunker down and furrow its brow.

The prodigious grip and inspiring confidence at speed is reassuring, too, given the DBX707 is indeed capable of turning the needle all the way to 310km/h – not that there’s a single public road in Australia that would allow it. I simply wasn’t game to take the DBX707 anywhere near its limit, I’d need a race track for that…if the folks at Aston wish to assist with such requirements. 

This is an SUV that evokes a smile at every traffic light, highway on-ramp or country B-road. It’s savagely fast and squirms with such dramatic enthusiasm, urging you to do it again…and again. It’s the seemingly endless torque that makes the DBX707 such a heavyweight performer, with 900Nm of shove making it all feel effortless, and it’s available throughout a solid portion of the rev range. I find myself, with every liberal footful of the accelerator, discovering more about the DBX’s personality.

Enormous carbon ceramic brakes, gripping serving platter-sized rotors, slow the Aston after said torque has turned the earth below it. There is no possible on-road scenario, though, where the full force of the DBX’s brakes will be required – meaning I’d need a racetrack to really test the stoppers, too. 

Simply put: It goes, it stops, and it’s all very addictive. 

I’ve been driving the DBX707 for the better part of a week and I’ve shuttled our photographer to various locations, carved up mountain roads, rolled through the city to gauge the reactions of onlookers – always a valuable exercise in a bright, somewhat obnoxious, exotic car – and i’ve even driven my pregnant wife to an appointment to gauge just how plush the ride is in the eyes of someone who can’t for the life of her find a soft enough mattress. It remains faultless, aside from the astronomical price tag.

On my final stretch with the near-perfect super-SUV, I depart a wedding shortly after midnight, navigating sleepy, all-but-empty country roads home. A twisting ribbon of road presents itself, commencing from an opportune stop sign, allowing an opportunity to blast up to speed from a standstill before hurling the Aston into a series of bends, enjoying the visceral propulsion of the DBX770 one more time, without the sound or sight of other vehicles sullying the experience.

Faster, faster, then hard on the brakes into an S-bend that dips into a sharp kink, before a beautifully cambered exit allows yet another bout of frantic acceleration before settling back into a cruise. The V8 symphony is best appreciated on a silent stretch of road, late at night. The engine itself howls, but it’s the cacophony of whistles, wooshes, pops and crackles accompanying it that make the DBX707 such a riotous joy. All from the supreme comfort of an ultra-premium SUV. 

The DBX707 is what you get when a bonafide supercar manufacturer takes a last-ditch crack at an SUV and gets it very right. 

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