The world's most powerful SUV

Is the Aston Martin DBX707 more than just its performance numbers? Let's find out.

- Mark Smyth

ASTON MARTIN DBX 707 ETA: NOW

Price: R5 500 000 Engine: 4,0-litre, twin-turbo V8 Transmission: 9-speed automatic Power: 520 kW @ 6 000 r/min Torque: 900 N.m at 4 500 r/min 0-100km/h: 3,30 sec Top speed: 310 km/h Fuel consumption: 14,2 l/100km* CO₂ emissions: 323 g/km* Rivals: Bentley Bentayga Speed, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

Aston Martin's decision A to jump on the SUV bandwagon seems to be paying off. In 2021, the first full year of production for its DBX, it accounted for half of all Aston production, with 3 000 units leaving the factory. Even so, the then-new-but-now-departed boss Tobias Moers wanted something more, something that grabs attention from Lamborghini, Bentley, and the upcoming new Ferrari Purosangue.

Enter the DBX707, the world's most powerful production SUV with a headline figure of 520 kW, or 707 hp. We hear some of you sighing at the idea of yet another performance SUV, but bear with us, because we were pleasantly surprised by it.

At its heart is the engine that gives the 707 its name, a 4,0-litre twin-turbo V8 from MercedesAMG that has been fettled for the 707 by none other than former AMG powertrain boss Ralph Illenberger, now in the same role at Aston. The headline figure is a massive jump in power from 550 hp to that magical 707 hp, while torque has increased from 700 to 900 N.m.

Andy Tokley, senior vehicle engineering manager for Aston, explained this increase has been achieved by switching to large ball-bearing turbochargers and adjusting the calibration for the engine. To cope with the extra torque, the driveline had to be upgraded, but Tokley says this wasn't a simple case of just reinforcing it.