The upcoming Aston Martin DBX SUV will go on sale in the UK from £158,000, with the first official images of the car’s interior now revealed. The car, which is Aston’s first high-riding model and will arrive with the same 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 as the DB11 supercar, is set to make its debut in Beijing on the 20th November. Order books will then open, with a $189,900 asking price in the USA and €193,500 in Germany. In the UK, pricing is set to include three years of servicing as standard. A single image was released to coincide with the pricing announcement, giving a first official look at the DBX interior, with copious amounts of leather seeking to embody the firm’s characteristic blend of comfort and opulence. Visible details include perforated leather seats, an expansive panoramic glass roof, and wood-finished interior door handles. It confirms spy photos previously seen in September, which showed Aston would continue to use Mercedes-sourced switchgear and technology combined with its own bespoke trim. Previously only a single image teasing the interior had been officially released, showing a portion of the car not clad in its now-familiar prototype camouflage and revealing that a chunky black plastic rear bumper will be available. Bootspace was then confirmed as well, with the DBX’s 632-litre rear loadspace giving it a significant practicality advantage over its Bentley Bentayga rival.  The new range of accessories, available from the model’s launch, includes a number of separate options packs to suit the owner’s hobbies and pastimes. The Snow Pack, for example, contains a boot warmer, ski bag, roof-mounted ski rack and set of snow chains. The Pet Pack, meanwhile, brings a bumper protector, a portable washer and a cabin divider, while the more conventional Touring Pack comprises a tailored luggage set with first aid kit and under-seat locker.   Additional packages include the Essentials Pack, Event Pack, Interior Protection Pack and Expression Pack. Aston Martin says it has “worked with its trusted brand partners to ensure that it is offering the best solutions to customers, whatever the usage, journey or destination”.  Ahead of launch the DBX was papped without any disguise during what looks like a promotional shoot by Spanish site Autopista. As expected, the design has significantly moved on from the concept, with a front-end inspired by the DB11 and details such as a tail-lights that curve up and across the tailgate.  Although the car in these images appears to be pink, the DBX in these photos is most likely red, and the effect is simply due to low quality photography.  First orders for the high-riding Aston were taken at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and it made its UK public dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. A video released on Twitter by Aston CEO Andy Palmer gives a very quick glimpse of the car’s front end without any camouflage. Aston Martin Lagonda’s most recent financial update revealed more details on the development timeline of the DBX, which is set to rival models such as the Bentley Bentayga Speed and Lamborghini Urus.  Aston started building pre-production versions of the new model at its new St Athan plant earlier this year, ahead of it going on sale in the first half of 2020. The company said it remains on track to begin series production at St Athan in the second quarter of 2020, which suggests first customer deliveries will follow in the second half of next year. The new 90-acre factory in Wales, built on a former Ministry of Defence site, has been under development since 2016 and will be the sole production facility for the DBX. The electric models of the revived Lagonda brand will also be built there. Ahead of the machine’s official launch later this year, Aston Martin previously issued images of the DBX sporting a camouflage livery reflecting its new Welsh home. The machine is currently undergoing final testing using pre-production versions. A video published earlier in the year shows the DBX undergoing extreme weather testing in Sweden at Pirelli’s Flurheden proving ground, part of the two brands’ ongoing partnership.   Speaking about that test, Aston Martin chief engineer Matt Becker said: “Testing these prototypes in cold climate conditions helps us to assess the car’s early dynamics and, crucially, ensure confidence-inspiring sure-footedness on low-grip surfaces. “This car propels Aston Martin into a new segment and our engineering team are enjoying the challenges of developing a quality luxury SUV experience through this robust testing schedule. Progress is on track and I am confident that we will deliver over and above what our customers would expect from an Aston Martin SUV.” The DBX is the first Aston Martin to go through a new dedicated test programme, to ensure it can produce the kind of dynamic on-road performance on which Aston has always made its name, allied to some credibility off
Origin: Aston Martin DBX: pricing confirmed from £158,000