Aston Martin has been giving the S badge to their cars almost since the beginning. Inspired by DB3S and finding its way into modern Aston Martins, starting with the 2004 Vanquish S, the S has always meant a more high-performance model than the base car. We’ve been given cars such as the Vantage S and Rapide S in the last few years, but does the DBX S hold up?
The DBX S is more powerful than the non-S. It’s been given 20PS for a total of 727PS and 900Nm of torque from the 4.0L twin-turbo V8. The added power will propel the big Aston from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 193mph. The acceleration is aided by the same torque-splitting wizardry that is in DBX707. Up to 100% of the torque can be sent to the rear and up to 50% sent to the front axle, depending on the need. The transmission assisting all the power to the wheels is a nine-speed wet clutch box with no traditional torque converter.
Putting the DBX on a diet to achieve S status was confirmed by using the largest sheet of carbon on any Aston Martin, on the roof. The carbon roof removes the roof rails (sorry, you won’t be easily slapping skis on top) and takes weight from the best place possible: the highest point. The center of gravity is slightly lowered by the removal of 18kg with the carbon roof.
Propelling the DBX S down the road is also a bit easier by using magnesium wheels. Seventy-five percent lighter than steel, half as much weight as titanium, and even a third less weight than aluminum, these magnesium wheels are perfect for removing rolling resistance. Aston will even sell you aluminum 23″ wheels if the magnesium shoes aren’t your style or palatable for your wallet.
Aston Martin CEO, Adrian Hallmark, said ‘Over the last two years, Aston Martin have introduced an entire core collection of next generation sports cars as well as a new DBX; all with a new, entirely bespoke infotainment system designed in-house. The marque continues its focus on class leading performance, ultra-luxury design and innovation, broadening the range of products under each core model. The introduction of DBX S not only reaffirms our commitment to producing the most exciting, rewarding and beautiful cars, it also sends a powerful statement of intent about our ambitions not just for DBX, but for the Aston Martin brand.”
At the end of the day, this is a quicker DBX707 with dual-stacked exhaust at the back and a large piece of carbon fiber on the lid. The interior gets some minor changes, but really, this is just a fine-tuned DBX707 and not a lot more. The weight savings do come at a cost, so get ready to open your checkbook to get the lightest version of the Aston SUV.
Cheers,
M. T. Blake
Instagram @autohabitblake
