Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six debuts with Mercedes-sourced engine

We knew it was coming and now it is official - the Aston Martin DBX Straight-Six has made its official debut and it’s only for China. Arriving as the brand’s first six-cylinder model in more than two decades, the luxury SUV gains a Mercedes-Benz-sourced engine. It’s a more efficient and smaller engine than the DBX’s V8 powertrain as an answer to China’s tax rules.

Under the bonnet of the DBX Straight-Six you’ll find a hybridised 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, developing a peak output of 435 bhp (320 kilowatts) and 384 pound-feet (520 Newton-metres) of torque. If those numbers sound familiar to you, that’s because they are identical with the Mercedes-AMG 53 family of models that uses the exact same engine. In the DBX, the power reaches all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic gearbox - also sourced from Mercedes - and an all-wheel-drive system.

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The British manufacturer says the DBX Straight-Six accelerates from a standstill to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometres per hour) in 5.4 seconds and has a top speed of 161 mph (259 kph). Compared to the V8-powered model, the six-cylinder version of the SUV is 0.9 seconds slower in the sprint and 20 mph (32 kph) slower in the maximum velocity. Aston Martin’s Chinese division lists an average fuel consumption of 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres (22.4 miles per gallon), though, weirdly, it is measured by Europe’s WLTP cycle, which is different from China’s regime.

Additional DBX models under development:

Hotter Aston Marin DBX S spied hustling around the Nurburgring

Aston Martin DBX Hybrid spied for the first time near Nurburgring

Other mechanical improvements include a Mercedes-AMG-sourced limited-slip rear differential, electronically-controlled anti-roll bars, adaptive air suspension, and a carbon-fibre driveshaft. Six-piston front and single-piston rear callipers provide the stopping power, hiding behind massive wheels with sizes of between 21 and 23 inches. If you live in China, you can already put an order for the DBX Straight-Six at a starting price of 1.898 million Chinese yuan or around £220,000 at the current exchange rates.