Ice driving is always immensely enjoyable. It’s an opportunity to refine your driving skills and learn to manage the mass, power, and dynamic capabilities of a car at the very edge of adhesion. These limits are low enough to elicit giggles from behind the wheel, all while you endeavour to avoid an unceremonious exit from the vehicle. On this particular expedition into the Arctic Circle, our vehicle was far from a delicate ballerina; it was more akin to Mike Tyson in its brutishness – the formidable Aston Martin DBX 707.
The car’s name derives from its peak power output, measured in metric horsepower, generated by the revised ‘M177’ 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. This engine is an extensively upgraded version of the V8 found in the standard DBX, as well as in the Aston Martin Vantage and Aston Martin DB11 V8. Thanks to several internal modifications and a new set of ball-bearing twin-scroll turbochargers, it delivers a potent 697bhp at 6000rpm and 664lb ft of torque. This outstrips even the new Lamborghini Urus Performante in terms of raw power. On paper, it makes a bold statement.
Replacing the regular DBX’s nine-speed automatic gearbox is the Mercedes-AMG nine-speed Speedshift gearbox. This transmission utilises a wet clutch for power transfer, in lieu of a conventional torque converter. It boasts a higher torque capacity, quicker shifts, and enhanced launch control performance. Power is delivered to the road through the standard DBX’s electronically controlled clutch-based four-wheel-drive system. This system can direct up to 100% of the torque to the rear wheels and is complemented by a new, reinforced electronically locking rear differential with a shorter final drive ratio.
The suspension setup consists of a double-wishbone front axle and a multi-link rear axle, sitting under a recalibrated version of the regular DBX’s multi-chamber air suspension system. This system features revalved adaptive dampers and recalibrated active anti-roll bars. Each corner of the DBX 707 is fitted with carbon-ceramic brakes as standard, housed within 22-inch alloy wheels, upgradeable to 23 inches, as was the case with our test car.
Although the 707 doesn’t boast lighter bodywork, it does feature an enlarged radiator grille for improved cooling of the enhanced V8, as well as quad exhausts replacing the standard car’s twin pipes. Additionally, it has an enlarged rear spoiler and a new rear diffuser.
So, what is it like to drive the DBX 707 on ice? In a word: hectic. But this isn’t a negative; rather, it describes the thrilling challenge of ice dancing in a nearly 700bhp vehicle that tips the scales at 2245kg (DIN). Rapid reactions and a keen sense of balance are crucial. The turbocharged engine under the expansive bonnet, paired with incredibly responsive turbochargers, quick gearshifts, and highly effective differentials, makes this colossal Aston feel significantly lighter than its specs suggest.
The experience is overwhelmingly sensational and at odds with the visual expectations of the DBX 707. Initially, leveraging the car’s weight transfer and momentum is somewhat intimidating. However, as familiarity with the vehicle grows, so does the confidence in its handling. I found myself executing impressively large drifts, induced by Scandinavian flicks, and navigating through slalom courses with an ease that seemed almost inconceivable. The more confident I became, the bigger the slides grew, with increasingly acute angles adding to the exhilaration of hitting the limiter before engaging another gear for a surge of torque, noise, and wheel speed.
The Aston Martin DBX 707 is a remarkable upgrade from the standard model, barely recognizable in comparison. It’s a formidable machine that not only boasts class-leading figures but also showcases driving dynamics that truly shine in such challenging conditions. The experience was nothing short of marvellous in this astonishing vehicle.
