Everything for Aston Martin rides on the DBX SUV. If it doesn’t get this right and/or if it doesn’t sell the company is toast. It will be gone by 2022. Aston Martin went public in late-2018. Since then the stock price has dropped 75%. At the time of the IPO, the Aston Martin company was heralded as the English Ferrari. As you may know, Ferrari is on a roll. 

This isn’t the first time Aston Martin has found itself near the brink. Over the decades it has gone bankrupt seven times. Unfortunately, this is familiar territory.

Aston Martin development costs for the DBX left almost no capital to continue

It received a lifeline from Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll who along with other investors pitched in over $650 million. With that came a 20% stake in Aston Martin. As so much capital was needed to develop the DBX it appears Aston Martin was running out of money. At least now the $189,000 SUV has a shot at helping turn around Aston Martin’s bad fortunes.

There has never been an Aston Martin like the DBX. Obviously, this is new territory for it. But the Urus SUV has buoyed Lamborghini to record gains. Why shouldn’t the DBX do the same for Aston Martin? In some cases, the Aston Martin name on an SUV is more seamless than Ferrari trying it-which it is.

Will the Aston Martin DBX be seen as an authentic SUV?

Aston Martin has the distinction of building grand tourers. It’s all about luxury with a sporting edge. That should be a more authentic transition into the world of SUVs than it will be for Ferrari. Fortunately, Ferrari has rabid customers. It seems that anything with Ferrari on it will sell out. 

Leaks and reveals have taken the mystery out of what the DBX will be. Aston Martin knows that, so its latest marketing foray is where the knobbies meet the dirt; in the Arabian Peninsula. Engineers are doing continuous testing and it is being reported on. 

The DBX will feature an aluminum frame and suspension along with an airbag suspension

The aluminum chassis is lightweight and incorporates an airbag suspension to maintain the ride yet allow it to perform off-road well. All of the suspension members are cast aluminum making up the double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear. The triple-chamber airbags work with the 48-volt active anti-roll bar set up at each end.

Powering the new Aston Martin is an AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. It’s the same mill found in the DB11, Vantage, and a lot of Mercedes products including SUVs. At 542 hp this will provide favorable numbers while helping to accelerate out of bogs and manage off-road situations with ease. 

A Daimler nine-speed automatic transmission combined with a 4Matic all-wheel-drive system stabs power to all fours when demanded. With the active center differential, it can vector power between the front and rear axles with help from a limited-slip diff. All of this is a full 7.5-inches from the pavement which can be raised to 9.3-inches from the dirt floor. The company says the DBX can stride through 20-inches of standing water as well.

Will the DBX beat the tough competition for luxury SUVs?

Will the DBX be the beacon of luxury performance SUVs? It’s got some tough competition with the Lamborghini Urus at $207,000, Mercedes G-Wagon at $126,500, and Roller Cullinan at $325,000. Whether it needs to be the beacon it needs to be a sellout. 

The business of manufacturing vehicles is getting tougher every year and the landscape is changing really fast. If Aston Martin doesn’t have a hit with the DBX this could be the end of the road for the iconic English brand.