Elite Traveler Fall 2022

INSPIRE TOP CARS

Yes, there’s a ‘Race Start’ function. Yes, it clocks 0 -6 0 mph in 3 . 1 seconds with a top speed of 193 mph. Yes, it’s good ol’ fashioned, brake-torquing, burnout-producing merriment

AstonMartin DBX 707 Exemplifying their archetypal humor, the Brits behind DBX707 opted to launch the current fastest SUV in the world in a place that prizes the slow passing of time. Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast, named for its jewel-toned waters, sits on the northeast coast of Sardinia, Italy. Rugged, undulating mountain roads — with verdant forest and rocky cli ff sides that descend to wild cerulean waters — provided an unspoiled testing ground for the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. An update to Aston Martin’s best-selling vehicle, DBX (which accounted for half the company’s annual sales in 2021), DBX707 features ball bearing turbochargers, a bespoke Mercedes-AMG built engine and calibration, as well as a nine-speed ‘wet clutch’ automatic transmission. The double-vane slatted grill is 30% larger than its predecessor, accommodating an 80% rise of air fl ow. Yes, there’s a ‘Race Start’ function. Yes, it clocks 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds with a top speed of 193 mph. Yes, it’s good ol’ fashioned, brake-torquing, burnout-producing merriment. Aston’s spokespeople call the 697 hp automobile a “saber in a segment of sledgehammers.” While it may, technically, be considered an SUV, the 2.5-ton crossover surely doesn’t drive like one. Perhaps the purest expression of a sportscar-cum-sport utility vehicle, DBX707 embodies all the best parts of a grand tourer. Bonus: It’s out fi tted with height-adjustable air suspension, sits on an aluminum-monocoque base, and o ff ers 16-way sport seats. Aston Martin DBX707 from $236,000, astonmartin.com

Photo Max Earey