{"id":31636,"date":"2023-10-26T14:37:49","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T18:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=31636"},"modified":"2023-10-26T14:37:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T18:37:49","slug":"payne-700-hp-aston-martin-dbx-707-is-fit-for-bond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/payne-700-hp-aston-martin-dbx-707-is-fit-for-bond","title":{"rendered":"Payne: 700-hp Aston Martin DBX 707 is fit for Bond"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Gaylord<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Aston Martin calls the performance version of its DBX SUV the 707 on account that it makes 707 horsepower on the European metric scale (PS stands for\u00a0<em>PferdStarke<\/em>, of course). By U.S. standards, that\u2019s 697 horsepower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">To avoid confusion and establish a universal naming convention, may I suggest the badge be changed to DBX 007?<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Everyone knows Aston Martin as the official vehicle of the James Bond movie franchise, and the DBX\u2019s performance model deserves nothing less than a starring role in the next 007 epic. This is, after all, the world\u2019s most-powerful, luxury super-ute \u2014 a 193-mph rocket that elbows past the 657-horse Lamborghini Urus Performante, 631-horsepower Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and 617-horse BMW X6 M.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313405007-astonmartindbx-707-fr-34-rt.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 boasts 697 horsepower, AWD, and plenty of cargo room.\" width=\"483\" height=\"272\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313405007-astonmartindbx-707-fr-34-rt.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313405007-astonmartindbx-707-fr-34-rt.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 boasts 697 horsepower, AWD, and plenty of cargo room.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 boasts 697 horsepower, AWD, and plenty of cargo room.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">It\u2019s a sports car in a 5,000-pound SUV body. Put it in a Bond chase scene and it will obliterate the obligatory pack of villain cars. Zero-60 mph? 3.1 seconds. SPORT PLUS track mode? Check. Off-road Terrain mode? Check. Gorgeous bod? Check. I got a taste of this Double-OMG-Seven sensation over rural M-32 in north Michigan \u2014 twisties I usually reserve for testing sports cars.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Rotating the meaty rotary drive mode dial to SPORT PLUS, the suspension noticeably stiffened and I laid waste to a series of downhill S-turns. But the cherry on top was this rhino-in-tennis-shoes&#8217; performance between turns. SPORT PLUS shortened the gear ratios for the nine-speed gearbox so that \u2014 upon corner exit \u2014 I had titanic torque on tap. I buried my right foot and the super-ute charged forward without hesitation.\u00a0<em>WHUMP! WHUMP!<\/em>\u00a0went the upshifts as the digital speedometer registered obscene speeds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Lots of performance cars \u2014 the DBX 007 included \u2014 sport electronically-stimulated shocks that perform miracles in reducing body roll. But few possess a drivetrain like the Mercedes-sourced 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 under the Aston\u2019s vented hood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">This is a drivetrain from the gods. Surely it was crafted by Q for James himself.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313438007-astonmartindbx-707-rr-34-knight.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 is a 5,000-pound, mid-size SUV with hatchback utility and a staggering performance envelope.\" width=\"513\" height=\"289\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313438007-astonmartindbx-707-rr-34-knight.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313438007-astonmartindbx-707-rr-34-knight.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 is a 5,000-pound, mid-size SUV with hatchback utility and a staggering performance envelope.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 is a 5,000-pound, mid-size SUV with hatchback utility and a staggering performance envelope.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">I gulped real estate at speeds normally reserved for much smaller, much lighter vehicles. So confident is the chassis, so addictive is the V8-\u2019s howl, that I wanted the road to go on forever. No tire shredders popped out from the wheel hubs. No machine guns burst from the grille. But the engine\u2019s song, crackling upshifts and burbling downshifts would make a bloody good Hollywood soundtrack.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"2\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Allow me the usual caveats for when I review a supercar affordable to a few. For the Aston\u2019s $280K sticker, you could buy 10 Chevy Trax RS models. The fun of vehicles like the Aston is to explore the industry\u2019s envelope \u2014 not just in performance, but in technology.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Take the Aston\u2019s infotainment suite. It may be 10x the cost of a Trax, but it does not have 10x better tech. Electronic gains have eliminated much of the gap between luxe and mainstream cars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Aston\u2019s infotainment system offers wireless Apple CarPlay \u2014 but not wireless Android Auto. Consistent with its Mercedes sourcing, the Aston features last-gen Merc infotainment tech anchored by a smallish screen and mouse pad controller.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313427007-astonmartindbx-707-seats.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The lush cabin of the 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 is wrapped in leather under a panoramic roof.\" width=\"504\" height=\"284\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313427007-astonmartindbx-707-seats.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313427007-astonmartindbx-707-seats.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The lush cabin of the 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 is wrapped in leather under a panoramic roof.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The lush cabin of the 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 is wrapped in leather under a panoramic roof.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">I normally run screaming from mouse pad controllers (looking at you, Lexus), but the Aston\u2019s pad was competent. My fingers glided over its surface, which accurately selected radio stations on the screen. Good thing, because voice recognition was lousy. Maybe Aston is programmed to understand the Queen\u2019s English coming out of Bond\u2019s mouth as opposed to my West Virginia twang.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"gnt_atomsnc\" class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_anc\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"loadAnc\" aria-label=\"Newsletter signup form\">\n<div class=\"label\" hidden=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"message\">\n<div class=\"title\">Get the\u00a0<span class=\"highlight\">Michigan Politics<\/span>\u00a0newsletter in your inbox.<\/div>\n<p class=\"description\">Washington and Lansing, red and blue, we&#8217;ve got your government covered.<\/p>\n<div class=\"frequency\">Delivery: Daily<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"input-container populated\"><input autocomplete=\"off\" name=\"email\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"clickable\"><\/div>\n<p><label>Your Email<\/label><\/div>\n<div id=\"bar\">\n<div class=\"highlight\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-primary\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"progress-secondary\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">DBX 707 is meant to evoke awe for its driving manners, machismo and style \u2014 not nerd quotient. The smell of fine leather filled my nostrils when I entered the cabin (even the lower doors are wrapped with red stitching). The seatbacks were sheathed in carbon fiber. The console stuffed with buttons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Buttons for shifting: P, R, N, D. Button for louder exhaust. Button for raising\/lowering. Button for shaking, not stirring, your martini (kidding about that last one).<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"3\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The big question about DBX707 is where it belongs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">With its tight handling, I wanted to track it. But we\u2019re talking about a 5,000-pound ute. Its weight and high center of gravity would be inherent handicaps on the fast switchbacks of, say, Pontiac\u2019s M1 Concourse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">And then there\u2019s the raw power. Good Lord. The 667 pound-feet-of-torque comes on like a tidal wave at low revs, demanding respect out of corners. I tested a 460-torque Corvette Z06 right after the Aston and the Chevy felt tame by comparison, thanks to a normally-aspirated, high-revving V-8 that built torque to its 8,600 RPM redline. If you want to track an Aston, buy a $170K Vantage F1 Edition sportscar with the same insane engine (and save yourself 70 grand).<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In my time with DBX 707, it was happiest in the north state countryside where it could bound across the lightly-populated roads like a bull on \u2018roids. If I had the means (or was the Duke of Charlevoix County), I\u2019d keep it in a car stable up north with other gems.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313414007-astonmartindbx-707-int.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 bears digital screens and lots of buttons to unlock the car's enormous performance.\" width=\"490\" height=\"276\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.detroitnews.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313414007-astonmartindbx-707-int.jpg?width=660&amp;height=372&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/10\/25\/PDTN\/71313414007-astonmartindbx-707-int.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 bears digital screens and lots of buttons to unlock the car's enormous performance.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"The 2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 bears digital screens and lots of buttons to unlock the car's enormous performance.\" data-c-credit=\"Henry Payne, The Detroit News\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">I&#8217;d pity the DBX 707 were it kept in Metro Detroit \u2014 or at M1 Concourse \u2014 where it could never properly exercise its legs. Doomed to a live life as a caged animal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">So call it the DBX 007 and put it in a Bond film. Heck, set it in Michigan.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-5\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"4\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Have Bond pick up Ana de Armas at the McNamara Terminal. He\u2019d pop the boot \u2014 er, hatchback \u2014 to easily store all their luggage. She\u2019d round the front \u2014 her slit dress grazing the classic Aston grille (made 27% larger than the standard DBX to feed the twin turbos) \u2014 then slip into the monogrammed passenger seat under a panoramic roof. She and James would banter about eccentric features like the hood opener on the right side of the glovebox \u2014 because the Aston is also made with right-hand drive for England.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Cruising west on I-94, Bond would notice a fleet of sinister black sedans in the mirror, then exit into the streets of Ann Arbor. He\u2019d storm up State Street, past slack-jawed students as they emerged from their studies in the Law Triangle, then turn under the M-14 overpass onto the twisted, East Huron River Road two-lane.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Bond selects SPORT PLUS mode. Ana grips the door handle. He takes a hard right, the cannon-sized quad tailpipes let out a roar and he disappears across the Foster Bridge as his pursuers plunge into the frigid waters of the Huron River.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-6\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"5\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Long live 007. Long live the V-8.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Next week: 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_h2\">2023 Aston Martin DBX 707<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Price: $236,000, including $3,086 destination ($287,520 as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Powerplant: 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Power: 697 horsepower, 663 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Transmission: nine-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.1 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 193 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Weight: 5,128 lbs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Fuel economy: EPA 15 mpg city\/20 highway\/17 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Highs: V-8 from the gods; curb appeal<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-money-autos-7\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"lazyLoadX\" data-x-c=\"6\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Lows: Mediocre tech; where to exercise it?<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Overall: 4 stars<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gaylord\u00a0\u2014 Aston Martin calls the performance version of its DBX SUV the 707 on account that it makes 707 horsepower on the European metric scale (PS stands for\u00a0PferdStarke, of course). By U.S. standards, that\u2019s 697 horsepower. To avoid confusion and establish a universal naming convention, may I suggest the badge be changed to DBX 007? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31636"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31636"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31637,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31636\/revisions\/31637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}