Like Bentley, Lamborghini, and Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin isn’t the kind of company you’d normally associate with having an SUV, at least if we were living in ordinary times. But as the King in the North Jon Snow said to the Free Folk, “we’re not living in ordinary times.” SUVs have become one of the biggest segments in the auto industry. Bentley already has the Bentayga out on the market. Lamborghini and Rolls are set to follow suit with the Urus and Cullinan, respectively. And so is Aston Martin and its upcoming DBX crossover, which is scheduled to hit protection in 2019.

Details surrounding the DBX have been slow to arrive, but a new report from Wales Online has revealed a few interesting tidbits about the DBX. One in particular involves the crossover’s side mirrors, or the lack of them. Turns out, the DBX will make use of rear view cameras in place of traditional mirrors. This is a similar setup to how it was presented in the DBX Concept and applied to the Valkyrie hypercar. More importantly, it’s also looking like Aston Martin will proceed with giving the DBX a variety of engine options. Traditional combustion engines are expected to be at the forefront of the offerings, but the British automaker is also looking into adding a hybrid or plug-in hybrid variant, as well as an all-electric model. A timetable for both variants have yet to be announced, but if these plans come to fruition, the DBX could be crossing over into more than just one on-the-rise segment.

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Huge step for Aston Martin to finally go all-in on the SUV market

It’s important to remember that given how big and popular the SUV market is right now, having an SUV with just one engine variant isn’t going to cut it anymore. Variety is just as important as having a model in the first place and Aston Martin is making the smart move by moving beyond its traditional combustion engines to offer hybrids and all-electric models. It’s a smart move that should help the DBX cut across numerous segments.

The thing is though that this strategy isn’t even new, even for the standards of premium SUVs. Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have been launching different versions of their SUVs for the better part of a few years now. Even new offerings in the upper echelon of the class like the Bentley Bentayga are set to be offered as hybrids.

Given a choice, I don’t think this is something that Aston Martin would do considering that it falls in the category of automakers who are as cautious about they’re history as they are about their image. Heck, if SUVs weren’t as big and popular as they are now, I don’t think Aston Martin would even consider building its own SUV. But customers dictate the market and over the past few years, SUVs have become one of the most sought-after vehicles in the industry. The clientele for this body type is as diverse as anything that other segments have to offer. Porsche and BMW were one of the first companies to recognize the potential of the market and look at where the Cayenne is now. Same thing with BMW’s fleet of SUVs.

The Aston Martin DBX is a lot like the Bentayga and the Lamborghini Urus in that they’re products of a market that automakers need to be a part of. Good thing then that Aston Martin, despite resisting the idea at first, has not only embraced the idea of having a crossover/SUV, but more importantly, it’s doing its part to make sure that the DBX represents everything that Aston Martin is still all about.

References

Aston Martin DBX Concept

Read our full review on the Aston Martin DBX Concept.

2020 Aston Martin Lagonda SUV

Read our full review on the 2020 Aston Martin Lagonda SUV.