The DBX interior is very avant-garde yet stays true to Aston Martin’s performance car heritage.
“It’s a chance for us to showcase our design abilities outside of a race car projects we’ve got,” says interior chief designer Matthew Hill. “We can play with the craftsmanship; we can talk about bespoke and about cabin space and how that might appeal to different genders. It’s been an ideas bed.”
The ideas start just ahead of the driver, with a single digital readout nestled in the center of the steering wheel while two screens on either side show images from the side-mounted cameras. Large dials below provide access to the car’s functions and custom driver and passenger head-up displays include some of the other technical details. There are no air vents on the IP — these have been relocated to the door panels to indirectly heat or cool the interior — and there is no typical navigation screen either; instead two seat-mounted consoles display infotainment functions for the driver and passenger.
But while the cabin is a driver-focused environment the electric platform afforded certain freedoms, particularly in regards to interior space. The IP has been pushed far forwards while the couple distance between passengers has been enhanced, largely due to the omission of a center console. The panoramic glazed roof above also adds to the sense of spaciousness on board.
Swathed in high-grade materials befitting of a luxury brand, the level of craftsmanship is also very high. This is visible in the wrapping of elements, layering and joining of the contrasting parts. The jewel-like elements inspired by flute and saxophone keys are particularly successful. These appear very elegant, skeletal and lightweight, as do the very slim, lightweight seats, which are cloaked in a layered leather effect with the center layer highlighted.
At the furthest rear end of the cabin, a solar element dubbed the ‘solar wave’ is another aesthetically appealing yet functional feature. Powering the interior auxiliary components it appears as a sculpture set on the rear parcel shelf of the car. “We’ve twisted what is normally a clunky piece of technology and made it appear more jewel-like,” says Hill.
Though this concept is vastly different from the Aston Martin Lagonda concept shown at the 2009 Geneva motor show, it demonstrates that the brand’s ambitions to diversify its product range in order to appeal to a more diverse clientele are clearly underway. We look forward to seeing what will develop.
