Future Cars: 2023 Aston Martin DBX AMR (and Friends) Make Aston's Sensational SUV Even Better
Whether Aston DBX customers prefer more power or more efficiency, the company will have them covered.
WHAT IT IS: A high-performance version of Aston Martin's stylish SUV. The DBX AMR is aimed squarely at Lamborghini's Urus.
WHY IT MATTERS: Aston Martin's first SUV is already a hit, quickly accounting for close to half the marque's total sales despite being launched in the middle of the pandemic. New Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers believes DBX sales could reach 5,000 vehicles per year, so he has made expanding the DBX family a priority. As such, the DBX AMR won't be the only addition to the DBX lineup: Two hybrid models are also coming within two years.
PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: Whereas the AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 in the regular DBX makes 542 hp, the DBX AMR is expected to get a Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S engine with at least 603 hp—and perhaps up to 650 hp, Aston insiders say—and 627 lb-ft or more of torque. To match the 641-hp Urus, the quickest SUV we've ever tested, the DBX AMR will need to scoot from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.0 seconds, almost a second quicker than the standard DBX.
The mild-hybrid version of the DBX will have a turbocharged and electrically supercharged 429-hp 3.0-liter straight-six under the hood, plus a 21-hp motor mounted between the engine and the nine-speed automatic transmission. It's basically the AMG 53 powertrain, and in the Mercedes-AMG GLE53 Coupe, it delivers a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds and city/highway fuel economy of 18/23 mpg. The plug-in hybrid DBX will likely be powered by the potent AMG E-Performance powertrain scheduled to make its debut in the forthcoming Mercedes-AMG GT73e four-door coupe. Combining the 603-hp version of the AMG twin-turbo V-8 with a 201-hp motor mounted at the rear axle, that means this PHEV Aston SUV should pack more than 800 horses.
ESTIMATED PRICE: $180,000
EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: The Aston Martin DBX AMR is expected to go on sale in 2022. The MHEV DBX goes on sale later this year, and the PHEV DBX is scheduled to arrive in 2023.