Following yesterday’s teaser on China’s Weibo social media platform, Aston Martin has officially unveiled the DBX Hybrid for the People’s Republic. It is a rather quiet unveiling since the electrified SUV has been uploaded onto the company’s website in the world’s most populous country without images or a press release.
That said, we do have all the technical information available along with pictures obtained from the online configurator that has been revised to include the hybrid DBX. As expected, the SUV from Gaydon borrows the inline-six, 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine from AMG, which has also been the case for the conventionally powered V8 model.
The second version of the DBX adapts the EQ Boost technology from Mercedes’ performance division, specifically the 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Officially known in China as the Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six, the vehicle offers an identical output of 429 horsepower (320 kilowatts) and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-meters) as you’ll find in the AMG CLS 53 or the AMG E53.
With the hybridized straight-six engine, the DBX needs 5.4 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill and can reach a maximum speed of 161 mph (259 km/h). For the sake of comparison, the more powerful V8 does the sprint in only 4.5 seconds and tops out at 181 mph (291 km/h). Although there is a significant difference between the two in terms of performance, we wouldn’t necessarily call the six-cylinder model a slouch since it still delivers more than adequate oomph for a large and heavy luxury SUV.
The similarities between the Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six and the AMG 53 models don’t end here since the British luxury SUV also uses a nine-speed automatic transmission as the performance cars from Affalterbach. The automaker’s first SUV boasts an electronic limited-slip differential at the rear axle combined with a conventional differential at the front. Needless to say, the vehicle comes with all-wheel drive as you’ll find in the sporty cars carrying the three-pointed star.
There are no immediately noticeable differences in terms of design, although there is a Straight Six badge adorning the front fenders. It rides as standard on 21-inch alloy wheels and can be had in a vast array of colors for the body along with plenty of combinations inside the lavish cabin where there are many trims to choose from and lots of optional features.
Aston Martin has already announced the DBX Straight-Six will be a China-only affair, but the SUV sold globally will spawn several derivatives, including a PHEV and a more potent variant. The electrified model is needed in the country where taxes for vehicles with large-displacement engines are extremely high, thus making the V8 out of reach.
Source: Aston Martin China
