aston martin DBX GT wraps 717 horsepower in a quieter, softer-riding SUV

aston martin gives its 717-hp DBX a softer side with new GT

Aston Martin has added a second personality to its fastest SUV. The new DBX GT arrives alongside the more overtly performance-focused DBX S, using essentially the same mechanical package while tuning the experience around comfort, reduced cabin noise, and a more restrained exterior. Under the hood is the familiar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 717 bhp, enough to send the large SUV from 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and on to 193 mph.

The interesting part is what Aston Martin has done around that engine. The GT keeps the speed, carbon-ceramic brakes, and quicker steering ratio of the DBX S, then changes how much of all that activity reaches the people inside.

Suspension calibration has been revised, including new internal damper valves designed to absorb the small, rapid movements produced by coarse pavement and rumble strips before they travel through the cabin. The standard wheels are 22 inches rather than the available 23-inch setup, paired with all-season tires chosen partly for ride quality and road noise.

the DBX turns down its visual aggression

The difference begins at the front, as the team at Aston Martin has replaced some of the DBX’s harder-edged detailing with a double-vaned metal grille that stretches visually toward the outer vents and daytime running lights. Lower sections of the front bumper, side sills, and rear diffuser come painted in the body color, while a two-piece metal side strake mixes polished and satin surfaces. A new set of horizontal quad exhaust tips finishes the rear.

It is a subtle shift in emphasis for a car that still has the proportions of a high-performance SUV. The standard 22-inch forged wheels leave a little more tire visible around the rim, and the body-colored lower sections reduce some of the contrast usually used to make performance cars appear lower and sharper.

Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s chief creative officer, describes the GT as a more discreet interpretation of the DBX, with its outright performance receding visually even as the underlying hardware remains close to the DBX S.

more attention goes to the people inside

A larger part of the GT treatment happens where the changes are easiest to feel. Aston Martin has redesigned the front and rear seats with additional cushioning and reshaped bolsters, adding a 10 mm layer of memory foam to the seat base. The rear bench also gains two more deeply sculpted outer seating positions with taller headrests, while retaining space for a fifth passenger in the center. A panoramic glass roof comes standard.

There is plenty of labor buried in the upholstery. Aston Martin says each front seat uses 691 meters of thread and 3,297 perforations, requiring more than four and a half hours of work. Semi-aniline leather and deep-pile carpeting are joined by additional sound-deadening in the doors, wheel arches, and cargo area, along with acoustic laminated rear side glass.

The company reports a 13% improvement in its Articulation Index, a measurement concerned with how easily occupants can understand conversation while the vehicle is moving.

717 horsepower stays in the background until you ask for it

The 4.0-liter V8 uses turbocharger technology shared with Aston Martin’s mid-engine Valhalla and produces 664 lb-ft of torque. The nine-speed automatic has received revised calibration for smoother gear changes, while the throttle mapping has been adjusted to make smaller pedal inputs easier to control.

Engineers also added a stiffer transmission mount and dampers between the body and rear subframe, aimed at reducing movement through larger bumps and compressions.

Even the exhaust has been retuned around that idea. Gas flow is mixed twice inside the rear muffler to remove some harsher metallic frequencies, with GT mode keeping the sound subdued and Sport modes opening things up when the driver wants the V8 to come forward. First deliveries of the Aston Martin DBX GT are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. 

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project info:

name: DBX GT
manufacturer: Aston Martin | @astonmartin

engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
power: 717 bhp
transmission: nine-speed automatic
0–60 mph: 3.1 seconds
top speed: 193 mph / 310 km/h