aston martin soft-riding DBX GT premieres at Q london showroom

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, marking a new dual-model strategy unveiled at the grand opening of Aston Martin’s Q London showroom in Berkeley Square. The GT uses essentially the same mechanical package as the S 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.

Highlighting the shift in platform strategy during the Q London opening, Aston Martin explained to designboom: ‘S was part of a conscious effort to take the car into an even more dynamic space, knowing that we then complemented with the introduction of GT. Having two vehicles for the first time is a bit of yin and yang if you like, allowing us to make full use of the bandwidth in the platform.‘

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 developed with Bilstein using low-speed oil bleed pathways designed to absorb the small, rapid movements produced by coarse pavement and rumble strips before they travel through the cabin. The standard wheels are a new 22-inch design rather than the available 23-inch setup, paired with all-season tires chosen partly for ride quality and road noise.

images © Aston Martin

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, removing the splitter extensions and side planes found on the more aggressive model. Showcased at the Barkeley Square opening in a new Volans Black paint — which shifts subtle purple tones in direct light to deep black on overcast days — the car’s 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 in a bi-metal finish. A set of quad exhaust tips reoriented vertically — taking inspiration from architectural design — 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.

The GT is described 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. As noted during the walkaround: ‘What we tried to do is contain the design changes within the silhouette of the vehicle. It is a tighter, more elegant, more charismatic look rather than the slightly more overt character of the 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 to enahnce initial softness. The rear bench also gains an optional upgrade featuring two more deeply sculpted outer seating positions with taller headrests and contoured shoulder support, 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, while an optional tri-tone interior with ‘watch strap’ headrest embroidery requires up to nine hours per seat. Semi-aniline leather and 2,000 g/m2 heavy-pile carpeting are joined by additional sound-deadening in the doors, wheel arches, and cargo area, along with acoustic laminated rear side glass. Engineers also reduced body structure hole sizes by 25% to restrict sound paths entering the cabin.

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 so the active dampers can operate at maximum efficiency.

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. 

Summarizing the vehicle’s dual identity at Q London, the team emphasized: ‘This is not in any way degrading performance. the whole promise of this vehicle is increased luxury, but you’ve got that urge underneath should you choose to use it.’

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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