By Jeff Glucker
The Aston Martin DBX is already firmly into super SUV territory, but the automaker wants to push things a little further. There’s precedent for Aston Martin to do just that with the addition of the letter S. Aston Martin has added S versions of certain models since as far back as 1953. Today, since the world is one dominated by SUVs and Crossovers, it shouldn’t be a surprise that an S version of the DBX has now arrived.
It’s my job to explain why this is a good thing…
The 2026 Aston Martin DBX S employs a simple formula for improvement over its lesser version. You add a bit of power, remove a bit of weight, and tweak chassis bits as needed. In the nose sits a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, producing 707 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. That’s a dash more hp compared to the still available DBX 707, which sits at 697 hp. That numeric naming scheme is based on the BHP output figure.
As for the added lightness, Aston Martin has affixed a carbon-fiber roof in place of the panoramic glass roof, swapped on optional magnesium wheels, and shed a few pounds in other areas. The most important two, however, are those aforementioned places. Less weight at the rolling corners and overhead means a lower center of gravity and a more agile machine.
The engineers then set to retune the steering and dampers to highlight the extra dynamism afforded the DBX S. This results in a bewinged beast that’s quicker, faster, and more engaging than before. Yet it’s not lost a dollop of luxury on the inside, and the growl on the outside has gotten even better.
There’s no doubt the DBX S is a vehicle that plays in rarefied air among higher high-dollar, high-horsepower go-fast luxury SUVs. The starting price lands somewhere in the $275,000 range, while the one I drive in the video above sits with an as-tested price north of $362,000. Serious coin… for a supreme SUV serious about going fast in style and luxury.
Kamil Kaluski