Ian Hartley, head of Aston Martin’s Vehicle Dynamics subdivision, said in a recent interview the company was considering equipping its first crossover SUV with a feature called Drift Mode. It remains to be decided whether the series gets the upgrade, but Hartley said he would personally like to see it implemented.
When AM’s first SUV finally ships, it will be available in three specs to choose from: Vantage twin-turbo V8 (510 hp / 380 kW), V12 (750 hp / 553 kW) , and Hybrid. Test vehicle production has already begun in Saint Athan, Wales, but the official premiere remains scheduled for the end of 2019, and the launch won’t happen until early 2020.
The company intends to sell 5,000 or more DBX SUVs every year, but admits that the actual demand could use some further studying. The series will compete against the alleged Ferrari Purosangue (still unannounced) and the Lamborghini Urus for customers’ wallets.
As for the Drift Mode, the feature will likely be similar to what the latest Mercedes-Benz A-Class ships with. On demand, the all-wheel-drive system of the compact car can uncouple the front axle clutch and turn off stabilization, readying the German compact car for some serious drift action.