Aston Martin on Wednesday showed the world that it is fast catching up in the race. Iconic British sports carmaker launched its first SUV, named DBX, at Los Angeles and Beijing simultaneously.
Aston Martin so far has primarily stuck to making luxury sports car but the launch of the new SUV is a clear indication that it wants to explore the fast growing multi-utility vehicle and SUV market.
Joining other luxury sports car makers
The launch of DBX puts Aston Martin in the league of Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls Royce, who have in recent times launched SUVs and have also been successful. Most of this carmakers till sometime back couldn't imagine launching a SUV given that they have always focused on making luxury cars, where sticker price have played an important role.
Moreover, the company with this launch will aim to change the mindsets of its loyal customers that for a sports car performance matters more than the looks.
Know the new DBX
The all-new DBX comes with a price tag of $190,000, about $40,000 more than its least expensive model, Vantage. The all-new SUV has a top speed of 181 miles per hour and reaches 0-62 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds.
DBX is also the first car from Aston Martin's stable to have five seats. Most Aston Martin models either have two small seats in the back or are sans backseat.
Interestingly, for designing and determining the look of the SUV, the company partly took help from an all-female advisory board comprising female Aston Martin owners. The team looked into the design of the armrests, control systems and the glove compartment.
Exploring a SUV market
Aston Martin has been a bit late but it wants to catch up with its competitors fast in order to capture the growing SUV market. Demand for passengers cars have been on the decline for quite some time now, as an increasing number of people are opting for SUVs, pickups and crossovers.
However, Aston Martin competition won't be with the likes of Ford, Fiat Chrysler and General Motors. Instead, DBX will take on its rivals. The new SUV will compete with the likes of Rolls-Royce's Cullinan, Lamborghini's Urus, Bentley's Bentayga and Porsche's Cayenne Turbo, all which are high in demand among luxury sports car lovers.
