Aston Martin->ke13 could build its first ever crossover->ke288 on a new lifted sports car->ke506 platform rather than adopting an existing platform from its industrial partner Daimler. Originally believed to use underpinnings from the Mercedes GLC,->ke4968 Aston’s upcoming DBX->ke2849 will instead likely use a new architecture currently in development for vehicles like the successor to the DB9->ke210 2+2 coupe.

Speaking to Automotive News Europe,->ke210 Aston’s chief executive officer Andy Palmer confirmed that the Mercedes->ke187 SUV architecture was not what the automaker was looking for, saying that models within the Mercedes GL nomenclature “clearly sit in a very different space to the one we want to go to. They are very much an SUV and we don't want an SUV.”

Aston’s next-generation in-house architecture, which will use copious amounts of aluminum for a reduced curb weight, is currently under consideration to give the DBX a sportier, more car-like feel: “It just depends how high off the ground it could go. I don't exclude the possibility of using some parts, but I would say very much the primary route is our platform,” Palmer said.

Daimler AG, a multinational automotive corporation based in Stuttgart, currently owns a five percent stake in Aston Martin as part of a technology sharing agreement that includes V-8 engines and electronic architecture.

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Why it matters

This past April, Aston said it had raised $315 million to put towards the development of a production-version of the DBX concept that appeared at the Geneva Auto Show->ke228 in March, as well as other vehicles outside its normal line of luxury sports cars. The DBX is purportedly aimed at attracting a new kind of customer to the British brand, including young people, women, and buyers in the Chinese->ke2090 market. AM has traditionally catered to an older, mostly male audience. 

However, the marque would like to stay true to its practice of creating vehicles with real sporting intent. To keep the DBX in line with Aston’s performance catalog, Palmer said he would like it to come with a seating position that gave drivers a sense of sitting in the car rather than “on the car.”

While many will bemoan the fact that yet another sports car manufacturer is falling victim to the allure of the crossover, with its broad, ever-expanding, and seemingly unflappable appeal, it appears as though Aston won’t be satisfied to offer up a rebadged Mercedes merely to attract new buyers. It instead wants to build the DBX from the ground up, hopefully creating a vehicle that will bear the twin-wing badge with the promise of at least some performance on tap.

The whole situation reminds me of the ill-fated Aston Martin Cygnet,->ke3594 which was essentially a rebadged and overpriced Toyota IQ->ke2879 city car. The automotive world responded to that little escapade with contempt and derision, and you can bet AM hasn’t forgotten. 

As they say, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself, so it’s not really that surprising the DBX will be an AM original. As for whether or not it’ll be any good, well, we’ll have to wait until 2019 when the DBX is expected to finally go on sale.

2015 Aston Martin DBX Concept

With Bentley,->ke15 Maserati,->ke51 Lamborghini,->ke44 and Rolls Royce->ke74 all considering a first foray into the crossover market, Aston Martin confirmed a production version of its DBX concept several weeks ago. The exterior is like a beefed-up version of the DB10,->ke5009 with a higher stance, bulging fenders, and that iconic front grille design.

The interior is laid out in a 2+2 design, and is sure to come dressed in high-end materials like Nubuck leather and machined aluminum, plus the latest in infotainment and driver’s aides. As for motivation, it’s rumored the DBX could use a new electric drivetrain, with in-wheel electric motors and AWD grip. No matter what’s situated under the hood, AM will likely give the DBX a decent amount of muscle to keep it within the performance expectations associated with the rest of its offerings.

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