[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/aston-martin-puts-first-suv-through-its-paces\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/aston-martin-puts-first-suv-through-its-paces\/","headline":"Aston Martin Puts First SUV Through Its Paces","name":"Aston Martin Puts First SUV Through Its Paces","description":"The name Aston Martin generally conjures up images of luxurious sports cars with elegant, sweeping lines and roaringly loud engines. In contrast, the phrase “sports utility vehicle” brings to mind bloated estate cars with spongy suspension and the turning circle of an oil tanker, albeit disguised behind some 4×4-esque features like greater ground clearance and a more rugged aesthetic. Admittedly, these cliches aren’t always accurate. Aston Martin doesn’t have an unblemished record of producing beautiful vehicles; anyone remember the angular […]","datePublished":"2019-04-09","dateModified":"2019-04-09","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Aston-Martin-DBX-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Aston-Martin-DBX-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/aston-martin-puts-first-suv-through-its-paces\/","about":["4x4 Cars","ASTON MARTIN","Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":530,"keywords":["aston martin","Aston Martin DBX","Aston Martin SUV"],"articleBody":"The name Aston Martin generally conjures upimages of luxurious sports cars with elegant, sweeping lines and roaringly loudengines. In contrast, the phrase “sports utility vehicle” brings to mind bloated estate cars with spongy suspension and the turning circle of an oil tanker, albeit disguised behind some 4×4-esque features like greater ground clearance and a more rugged aesthetic.Admittedly, these cliches aren’t always accurate. Aston Martin doesn’t have an unblemished record of producing beautiful vehicles; anyone remember the angular nightmare that was the Lagona? And some SUVs are terrific. For instance, Jaguar’s all-electric I-PACE was deservedly voted best car at the 2019 European Car of the Year Awards.Still, we’re finding the idea of an Aston Martin SUV hard to get our heads around. But it certainly seems like the boffins at Aston Martin are taking the whole thing pretty seriously, as they’ve recently put the DBX – the luxury marque’s first-ever sports utility vehicle – through its paces in a gruelling test in Sweden.Held at Pirelli’s official test facility, the heavy-duty workout represents the latest step in the vehicle’s intensive development. As you might expect from its location near the Arctic Circle, the R&D Sottozero Centre at Flurheden Proving Ground presents a range of challenging environments, all of which are cold. Ice-handling courses and snowy roads formed a key part of the test programme, giving Aston Martin’s vehicle dynamics specialists – led by chief engineer Matt Becker – the chance to find out more about the DBX prototype’s true capabilities.Apparently, they liked what they saw, as Becker says he is confident that the car will deliver “over and above” what customers would expect from an Aston Martin-engineered SUV.He adds: “The Aston Martin DBX needs to be ready for a wide range of multi-terrain surfaces, so in addition to testing the car in normal day-to-day situations, we need to test it in extreme conditions such as these. “Testing these prototypes in cold climateconditions helps us to assess the car’s early dynamics and crucially ensureconfidence-inspiring sure-footedness on low-grip surfaces. This car propelsAston Martin into a new segment and our engineering team are enjoying thechallenges of developing a quality luxury SUV experience through this robusttesting schedule.”The Gaydon-based company first unveiled itsforay into the world of the SUV back in 2015, showcasing the DBX at that year’sGeneva Motor Show. At the time, it insisted the vehicle would challenge“the nature of luxury GT travel”.It took two-and-a-half years from that pointfor the DBX to enter testing, with Becker chucking the SUV around on thedemanding terrain of a Welsh Rally stage. Every stage of the car’s testingprogramme has been deliberately gruelling, with other locations including aMiddle Eastern desert, high-alpine passes, and the legendary N\u00fcrburgringNordschleife race track in the heart of Germany’s Eifel forest.Itching to get your hands on the DBX? Youdon’t have too much longer to wait. The SUV is due to go into prototype buildin St Athan, Wales midway through this year, before the start of a fullproduction run in 2020."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Aston Martin Puts First SUV Through Its Paces","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/aston-martin-puts-first-suv-through-its-paces\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]