Aston Martin DBX SUV will have a 542bhp V8 and sub-eight-minute ‘Ring time

Aston Martin has revealed that the DBX will feature a 542bhp twin-turbocharged V8 when it is finally revealed in December.

The British firm made the announcement as it confirmed development of its first SUV was reaching its end. It will bring to a close one of the most hyped and drawn-out new vehicle launches of recent years.

The DBX has undergone extensive testing to ensure it has performance to ‘match existing Aston Martin sports cars’ such as track testing at Silverstone in the UK and the Nurburgring in Germany.

During endurance testing at the latter, the DBX is said to have achieved cornering speeds on par with the firm’s Vantage sports car and shorter braking distances than its DBS Superleggera GT car.

In a newly released video, the luxury car maker demonstrated the engine and exhaust sound, which has been tuned by Aston Martin’s ‘dedicated acoustic team’ to deliver ‘deep bass with increasing mid tones’.

Matt Becker, Aston Martin’s chief engineer, said: “We have concentrated our work to ensure that the calibration and tune of this 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 delivers both the everyday usability and refinement expected by SUV owners.

“However, we have also focused heavily on matching that with the engaging driving dynamics that are commanded by our brand and inherent in every Aston Martin and early indications of the car’s overall performance have been incredibly promising.

“The next few months will be extremely important to us, as we continue to hone the powertrain credentials and a dynamic setup that will help make this the most exciting SUV on the market.”

The DBX will be built at a new facility in St Athan, Wales, which the firm expects will create 3,000 jobs in the local area and across its supply chain.