Aston Martin DBX Coupe And 7-Seater Considered, Smaller SUV Ruled Out

Aston Martin might be in the midst of restructuring following a rescue deal led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, but the company is communicating that it’s eyeing an expansion of its range through the development of additional versions of its handsome DBX crossover.

Aston Martin Lagonda’s executive vice president and CCO Marek Reichman told GoAuto that, while they’re not considering a smaller SUV, more body styles of the DBX are feasible, including a coupe and a longer version.

“We’ll never go down [in size]. Not necessarily up, but maybe it’s less capacity. So, the wheelbase may remain the same, but maybe the box shrinks a little bit”, said Reichman. “Because in terms of downsizing, we are never going to be a Macan versus a Cayenne. Cayenne/DBX [size] is core, so downsizing then comes silhouette, upsizing is relatively simple, and that’s a potential… you could do both off that platform.”

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A coupe-SUV version of the DBX, with an arched roofline behind the B pillars, could steal customers from a diverse range of rivals, from high-end performance variants like the BMW X6 M and Audi RS Q, all the way up to the Lamborghini Urus. Meanwhile, a longer 7-seater model could lure in a new buyers offering Aston Martin a place in the bubbling segment of large, ultra-luxurious SUVs.

An expanded offering of SUVs would increase Aston Martin’s sales, giving them a steadier income given that demand for such vehicles is constantly increasing. The exec said that 72 percent of their current customers already had an SUV from the likes of Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley or Rolls-Royce. Half of the DBX sales came from customers who are new to the brand.

“The old skin was a white guy in a pair of brogues – when I arrived 15 years ago, the archetype was a 54-year old white male, wearing brogues”, said Reichman. The goal is to “open up to more females and more ethnicity”, he added, stating that “China is already split 50:50 male/female, and it’s about 35-years old median age versus 45, so it’s 10 years younger.”

Unveiled late last year, the DBX uses the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 sourced from AMG. It produces 542 HP and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque, matched to a 9-speed auto gearbox and all-wheel drive. With the pedal to the floor, it will do the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds, topping out at 181 mph (291 km/h). U.S. pricing starts at $189,900.