Aston Martin CEO, Andy Palmer, stated that Aston Martin might modify its new sports car platform rather than use SUV platform from partner Daimler.
There were rumours that the DBX crossover could use the MRA platform as the new mid-size SUV Mercedes GLC.
But Andy Palmer told to Automotive News Europe at a conference organized by the Financial Times last week, that the DBX is more of a crossover than an SUV and the Daimler SUV architecture would not be suitable.
Palmer insists that the DBX must reflect the brand’s sport heritage rather than be an SUV. He wants buyers to feel like they are sitting in the car rather than “on a car”, referring to traditional higher seating position of a SUV.
The Aston Martin engineers are checking if the new platform reserved for the new generation of Aston Martin sports cars can be adapted for the DBX. Palmer said that it depends on what is the maximum ground clearance possible for this platform. He believes that the new Aston Martin platform is the first solution which has to be taken into consideration.
On April 30, Aston Martin announced an investment of 315 million USD to develop three vehicles outside the traditional lineup including the DBX, previewed by the concept presented this spring at Geneva Motorshow.
In the next 5 years, Aston Martin will replace the entirely traditional lineup of sports cars – the DB9, the Vantage and the Rapide and will launch three other models including the DBX.
The DB9 successor, which could be named DB11, will go on sale in 2016, while the DBX is planned for 2019. With the DBX, Aston Martin wants to attract more women and younger people.
There are also plans for a Lagonda SUV based on Mercedes GL.
Daimler has 5% in Aston Martin as part of the agreement to supply AMG V8 engines and electrical architectures for the next generation of Aston Martin sport cars.
