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aston-martin dbx Full OverviewMeet the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707, the world's fastest, most powerful gas-fed SUV. What you need to know up front is that when Tobias Moers left AMG to take the top job at Aston, he almost immediately set the company's sights on Lamborghini. Not, as you might expect, by announcing a new supercar. No, Moers instead figured Lamborghini's first ever SUV, the Urus, presented a juicier target.Moers had liked what he'd seen of Aston's own SUV debutante, the DBX, during his due diligence prior to making the jump from AMG. The DBX's fundamentals were good, he thought—all it needed were some powertrain and suspension upgrades, plus a couple of other changes, and Lamborghini's snarling, extrovert Urus could be knocked from its perch as the world's fastest, most powerful SUV.The suffix in "DBX707" refers to the number of European ponies under the shapely Aston's hood. In America, that's 697 hp, 56 more horses than the Urus musters. (Though shy of the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat's 707 hp, remember: That SUV was a one-and-done 2021 model that lacks a 2022-or-beyond followup. Also, we specify "gas-fed" because Tesla's Model X Plaid and Rivian's upcoming R1S pack much more hp.) And Aston Martin claims this DBX707 has a top speed of 193 mph, making it 4 mph faster than the Urus (and far faster than a Model X Plaid, which tops out at 163) at full throttle on an empty autobahn. Take that, Lamborghini.With its 697 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque, the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 packs a significantly bigger punch than the regular DBX. The extra power and performance come courtesy of a revised spec of the M177 4.0-liter V-8 used in the exhilaratingly rapid Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupé. The GT 63 S version of the engine, which has twin-scroll ball-bearing turbochargers for faster response, makes "only" 630 hp, but its torque output is identical.The Aston Martin DBX707 engine drives through the same Speedshift MCT wet-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission used in high-power, high-torque Mercedes-AMG cars. The transmission includes a Sport+ mode with launch control and a full manual control mode. A new e-diff has been fitted to the rear axle to handle the high torque loads and deliver a quicker locking rate. The final drive ratio is shortened by 7 percent compared with the regular DBX to help get the DBX707 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds.Suspension upgrades include compression and rebound damping that is increased by 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, on the front shocks, and 15 percent and 5 percent on the rears. The electronic active roll system is recalibrated to deliver 50 percent more torque on low body motions, and the roll control is now more rear-biased at higher cornering speeds to reduce understeer.To ensure the stiffer suspension works effectively, the stiffness of the front shock top mounts is upped by 55 percent with the addition of a cross brace, and the front control arms are fitted with hydraulic bushings to improve ride comfort and bump isolation without compromising dynamic performance. A 0.16-inch-thick underbody panel improves torsional stiffness by 1.3 percent for better steering response and impact control.As you'd expect in a 5,000-pound-plus SUV capable of 193 mph, the standard brake setup features carbon-ceramic rotors: 16.1-inch units clamped by six-piston calipers up front, 15.0-inch items at the rear. Standard wheels measure 22 inches and are shod with Pirelli P Zero tires. You can order all-season tires if you want, but that means the Aston Martin DBX707's stop speed is restricted to a mere 186 mph. Exclusive to the DBX707 is a new and optional 23-inch wheel, though you can't get all-season tires for it.Grafting iconic sports car graphics onto a big two-box SUV is a challenge—just ask Lamborghini—but Aston Martin chief creative officer Marek Reichmann's team of designers has, by and large, succeeded in making the regular DBX look as glamorous as the rest of the Aston Martin family.The new DBX707 adds muscle to the glamour. The roof spoiler is bigger. A new front fascia features a bolder grille, larger cooling intakes for the brakes, and a more aggressive front splitter. The rear fascia is new, too, with quarter-panel vents integrated into the bumper, and a large diffuser underneath flanked on either side by dual exhaust outlets. The sportier styling details don't compromise practicality, though: Front and rear departure angles remain the same as the standard DBX, and the 707 can be ordered in Europe with a retractable tow hitch.Inside, the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 can be had with either sport or comfort front seats, the former offered with a unique herringbone perforation pattern on the backrest and squab. A vertically mounted rotary controller is added to the center console to allow rapid selection of drive modes.The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 is expected to arrive in the U.S. in the middle of 2022, with prices starting from $235,086.Looks good! More details?2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Specifications BASE PRICE $235,086 LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, 4-door, 5-passenger, SUV ENGINE 4.0L/697-hp/664-lb-ft twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 32-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 5,000 lb WHEELBASE 120.5 in L x W x H 198.4 x 78.7 x 66.1 in 0-60 MPH 3.4 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON (CITY/HWY/COMB) 14/20/16 mpg (est) EPA RANGE (COMB) 360 miles (est) ON SALE Summer 2020 Show All

ProsSupercharged power wallopFantastic chassis controlExcellent six-speed manual transmission ConsComplicated performance modesFeels big at timesVery thirstyThere's a scene in the movie Mad Max where Max gazes upon a blown V-8, whining and roaring in the engine bay of a Pursuit Special as the mechanic maniacally exclaims: "It's the last of the V-8s!" We couldn't help but replay that clip in our minds as we hammered the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing around the Hyundai Proving Ground and later as a finalist on Angeles Crest Highway and the Streets of Willow circuit. We're not in some distant dystopian future, yet here is the last of Cadillac's supercharged V-8 superheroes, a stupendous, 668-hp sendoff to the marque's high-performance V-series cars."What a shame Cadillac is going to stop making monstrous supercharged track machines like this," senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said. "Because it just feels so good to drive. So, let's call the big Blackwing bittersweet. As well as awesome!"The rest of the judges were as effusive in their praise, lathering love on the CT5-V Blackwing for its composed chassis—thanks in part to GM's excellent magnetic ride control—and its exceptional, stout brakes. (Our test car had the $9,000 carbon-ceramics.) And we can't forget the six-speed manual transmission and its no-lift shift feature; the gearbox garnered plenty of judge fan mail (and more all-caps exclamations) and is a novelty on a performance sedan these days."Great manual transmission," features editor Christian Seabaugh said. "It's one of the best ones here. Short, precise throws with just enough assist to ensure you never miss your gate, but not enough to make the shifter feel springy. Good clutch feel, well-spaced pedals."Although it's on the heavy side at 4,067 pounds, the CT5-V Blackwing still lays down some impressive performance numbers. It rumbles to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and on to a quarter-mile time of 11.5 seconds at 127.5 mph, and it reels itself in from 60 mph in 102 feet."Power, power, power, power, and a boatload of torque, too," Lieberman said. "I barely needed to shift gears on the Crest, as a tsunami of torque [659 lb-ft] was flooding the joint. You quickly notice this is a large family sedan with a massive rear seat. That said, the suspension does its part, and the body control is surprisingly solid."Indeed, it was hard to find any real flaws with the CT5-V from a performance vehicle perspective. A few judges thought the car felt big at times on Streets, but only in the context that it would have fit better on a larger track where you could take more advantage of its prodigious power. That, and editorial boss man Ed Loh wasn't enamored with what he considered the car's over-configurability. "Like BMW, all the modes are entirely too complicated to navigate. It's dumb to be left wondering if, among the many combinations, you're in the right mode for the conditions," Loh said. Oh, and it also flat-out swills gas.After our evaluation, however, there was zero question the Blackwing's capabilities are immense, the result of two decades' worth of honing and harnessing a front-engine, rear-drive super sedan formula. Max would no doubt approve.And although it's a drag that this Caddy is the last of the supercharged V-8s, the fact the CT5-V is so good it finished third in the inaugural Performance Vehicle of the Year bodes well for Cadillac's high-performance future—electrified though it may be.2022 Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing Specifications Base Price/As tested $84,990/$112,545 Power (SAE net) 668 hp @ 6,500 rpm Torque (SAE net) 659 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm Accel, 0-60 mph 3.6 sec Quarter-mile 11.5 sec @ 127.5 mph Braking, 60-0 mph 102 ft Lateral Acceleration 1.04 g (avg) MT Figure Eight 23.4 sec @ 0.89 g (avg) EPA City/Hwy/Comb 13/21/15 mpg Vehicle Layout Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine, Transmission 6.2L Supercharged direct-injected OHV 16-valve 90-degree V-8, 6-speed manual Curb Weight (F/R DIST) 4,067 lb (54/46%) Wheelbase 116.0 in Length x Width x Height 194.9 x 74.1 x 56.5 in On Sale Now Show All