T3 - UK (2022-01)

TRAVELLING

WITH KIDS

SPORTYSPICE

JANUARY 2022 T 3 21

Travel

ASTON MARTIN FOREVER!

As winter setsin, T 3 ’s Spencer Hart takes the Aston Martin DBX,

the brand’s first SUV,for a spin

A landmark moment in Aston Martin’s
100-year-plus history, the DBX
(astonmartin.com) is the brand’s first SUV,
designed to deliver exceptional style,
performance, and, of course, usability.
Does it deserve its Aston Martin wings?
I’ve been behind the wheel to find out...
The first thing we need to talk about,
though, is the design. The DBX is stunning
from every angle, with the signature ‘DB’
grille at the front, through the sculptured
sides and design feature line, to the
tailgate with a flip that draws inspiration
from Vantage. Despite its new proportions,
this is undoubtedly an Aston Martin.
Underneath its stunning exterior is a
bonded aluminium body structure that is
both very light and incredibly stiff, assisting
in the delivery of an overall kerbweight of
2,245kg. This allows the DBX to achieve
exceptional dynamics both on and
off-road, and is further backed up by the
adaptive triple volume air suspension,
which gives any driver the confidence to
tackle a wide range of terrain.
The DBX is powered by a new version
of the characterful four-litre, twin-
turbocharged V 8 engine found in DB11
and Vantage. It features an impressive
output of 5 50PS and 7 00NM of torque. It

sounds thunderous and can propel the car

from 0 mph to 6 2mph in 4 .5 seconds and

on to a top speed of 1 81mph.

What’s more impressive is that the

bespoke steering system and all-wheel-

drive system have been tuned to deliver

sports-car-like feel and response. It really

is mind-boggling how such a large car can

feel this agile.

Inside, the DBX is as luxurious as you’d

expect an Aston Martin to be. It’s a

fantastically light and spacious cabin

environment. The seats are trimmed in

sumptuous, full-grain leather, whilst

elsewhere in the cabin there’s a judicious

use of metal, glass and wood throughout.

Framed by these materials is an

abundance of tech – you get a 1 0.25-inch

screen that sits elegantly flush in the

centre console, as well as a huge 1 2.3-inch

display behind the steering wheel. Apple

CarPlay comes as standard, as does a

360-degree camera system and ambient

lighting offering 64 colours in two zones.

The Aston Martin DBX has a

recommended retail price of £158,000 in

the UK; that’s before you start to get

creative with the customisation options.

So, if you want to drive Aston Martin’s

most practical car ever, get saving.

BABYBJÖRN MOVE

MESH CARRIER

Ergonomic, user-friendly and

flexible, you can carry your

baby in style with BabyBjörn.

e baby carrier is simple

to put on, while the built-in

back support and airy 3D

mesh fabric keeps things cool

and comfortable.

£ 130 , babybjorn.co.uk

NUNA SENA AIRE

TRAVEL COT

Convenient to use, cosy and

comfy, this travel cot will

have your baby sleep like

a... well... baby. To fold and

unfold, just push down or pull

up from the middle with one

hand, and you’re ready to go.

£ 230 , nunababy.com

CYBEX ANORIS T

Setting new industry

standards, the Anoris T

from Cybex claims to offer

approximately 50% more

protection than conventional

forward-facing seats thanks

to its integrated airbag

technology and is at least as

safe as rear-facing seats.

£ 559. 95 , cybex-online.com

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