What does nearly 700 horsepower in a large SUV feel like in Singapore? Aston Martin helps us find out with the DBX707

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Photos: Ben Chia and Derryn Wong

SINGAPORE

If you want to go supercar-fast in an SUV (weird flex but okay), there are no shortage of choices out there for you to pick your weapon. Every major sports car maker, from Porsche to Lamborghini and even Ferrari now has an SUV that can beat the living daylights out of your average supercar, and still have room for your kids in the back.

But what if you want THE ultimate fast SUV? In terms of sheer numbers, the Aston Martin DBX707 now holds the crown for the most powerful SUV (Clarkson voice), in the world. The name reflects that status, with ‘707’ indicating the car’s power output in PS (or PferdStarke). In regular horsepower, that works out to 697hp, but it obviously doesn’t sound quite as catchy as ‘707’.

Even still, that’s quite a lot, and the result of that is pretty startling to say the least, especially bearing in mind the car’s 2.2 tonne kerb weight. 0-100km/h comes up in 3.3 seconds, and the car is capable of breaching double the legal speed limit with staggering ease, before maxing out at an eye-popping 310km/h. All we can say is, if you want to explore the DBX707’s full performance potential, Singapore is really not the right place to do so.

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All that power comes from the Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which also puts out a colossal 900Nm of torque for plenty of pulling power. The 9-speed automatic transmission is an AMG-derived item too, and for all intents and purposes, the DBX707 is basically an AMG-powered SUV on steroids.

But there’s more to it than that too. It still wears the Aston Martin face and badge after all, so it does have some reputation to live up to. The car is subtly differentiated from the regular DBX via its larger grille and air intakes up front, and massive 23-inch wheels that hide the car’s carbon ceramic brakes, which are exclusive to the 707 apparently.

At the back, there’s a roof spoiler and a large rear diffuser to accommodate the quad exhaust system, although you’re unlikely to notice it much, since it’ll probably be pulling away from you extremely quickly.

By default, the car starts off in GT mode, which makes it docile enough to perform everyday tasks without much drama. It’s capable, comfortable and all round decent, if not especially outstanding, and it behaves just like any other large powerful SUV. The ride is pretty firm, as one would expect from a performance-focused model like this, but on a daily basis it is pretty much acceptable for the most part.

Put it into Sport+ mode though, and the 707 starts to come alive. The exhaust burbles up, and the instruments go red, signalling that it’s ready to rumble. It’s not particularly loud, which is probably more a measure of Aston’s cabin insulation than anything, but prod the throttle and the 707 simply takes off like a jet. The car pulls itself to highly illegal speeds with ridiculous ease, and you get the feeling that if there’s a long enough runway, this 707 might just end up taking flight.

That’s the 707’s party piece then, but how does the car handle off the straights? To be fair, there’s only so much physics that one can defy, but the 707 does its utmost to keep up anyway. The steering is sharp and precise, but ultimately this is still a massive 2.2 tonne machine, so you do need to be wary about grip levels at speed, especially in slightly damp or wet road conditions. Hold some restraint though, and the 707 does offer up a pretty enjoyable drive, if maybe not quite as engaging as, say, a Porsche Cayenne or Lamborghini Urus.

The Aston’s biggest letdown though is its interior. Given its hefty price tag, one would expect something truly special, but the 707’s cabin ambience just feels somewhat lacking for a car in this segment. The infotainment feels rather dated, and some of the cabin materials, especially around the major touchpoints like the steering wheel and centre console, don’t feel like they belong in a car that costs close to a million dollars.

Nevertheless, if that doesn’t bother you, and you want not just a fast SUV, but one that holds all the power and bragging rights in the performance SUV world, then the Aston Martin DBX707 is very much the weapon of choice for now.

Aston Martin DBX707

Drivetrain type	Petrol engine
Engine	3,982cc, V8, twin-turbocharged
Power	697hp at 6000rpm
Torque	900Nm at 4500rpm
Gearbox	9-speed automatic
0-100km/h	3.3 seconds
Top Speed	310km/h
VES Banding	C2 / +S$25,000
Fuel Efficiency	14.2L/100km
Agent	Wearnes Automotive
Price	S$999,000 without COE
Availability	Now
Verdict:	Most powerful SUV in the world is a massive performance weapon, but DBX707 is let down slightly by its low-rent interior

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