2022 Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six revealed, not for Australia
Aston Martin's first SUV gains a cheaper Mercedes inline-six option, but it won't be sold outside of China.
The 2022 Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six has been unveiled – the first six-cylinder Aston Martin in two decades – though this second variant of the brand's debut SUV will remain a Chinese-market exclusive.
Joining the 4.0-litre V8 variant first revealed in late 2019, the new six-cylinder DBX will be sold only in China, where buyers are taxed heavily for purchasing cars with large engines – compounded if the vehicle is imported, as per all Aston Martin models.
Leaning on Aston Martin's technical partnership with Mercedes-AMG, the DBX Straight-Six is powered by the German firm's 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six petrol engine, developing 320kW and 520Nm – a match for AMG 53 models driven by the same engine.
It's aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with an integrated starter-generator, capable of delivering an electrified boost under acceleration – to the tune of 250Nm for up to three seconds – to "achieve a more efficient and luxurious driving experience", according to Aston Martin China.
Drive is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission also sourced from Mercedes-AMG, enabling a 5.4-second 0-100km/h sprint time, and a 259km/h top speed – 0.9 seconds slower to the speed limit, and 32km/h slower at V-max, than the current V8 model (which quotes 4.5 seconds and 291km/h respectively).
Aston Martin China lists the Straight-Six's combined fuel economy claim as 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres, compared to 14.3L/100km for the DBX V8. Interestingly, both figures are quoted according to European WLTP testing, despite there being no plans to sell the inline-six outside of China.
Under the skin, highlights include an electronic limited-slip rear differential (another Mercedes-AMG component), 48-volt electronically-controlled anti-roll bars, a carbon-fibre driveshaft, and three-chamber adaptive air suspension with 75mm of ride height adjustment (45mm up, 30mm down from the standard setting).
Alloy wheels measuring 21 to 23 inches in diameter fill the arches, hiding 410mm front and 390mm rear cast iron brakes, clamped by six-piston front and single-piston rear calipers.
There's little to split the DBX Straight-Six from its bent-eight twin on the outside, with the sole difference consisting of new 'STRAIGHT-SIX' badges on the front quarterpanels.
Inside, six- and eight-cylinder models share the same cabin, with a 10.25-inch central infotainment display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and new-for-2022 wireless smartphone charging.
The 2022 Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six is now available to order in China, priced from 1.898 million Chinese yuan ($AU405,000) – a near-20 per cent decrease from the V8's 2.298 million Chinese yuan ($AU491,000) list price.
In Australia, the DBX V8 is priced from $356,512 before on-road costs – indicating a sub-$300,000 starting price, should the DBX Straight-Six make its way Down Under at a later date.