Aston Martin DBX flagship in the works?

With cash-starved Ford out of the picture and new owners David Richards and Co. at the helm, Aston Martin is ready to expand its range with the introduction of several new models including a possible high-end flagship. The DBS coupe and four-door Rapide models have been confirmed, but according to the UK’s AutoExpress, a new model codenamed DBX is said to be under consideration.

AM CEO Ulrich Bez hinted at the possibility of the DBX at a press conference after the marque’s sale last week. "In the long term, we have to look for growth beyond the current range of cars," he said, also mentioning the term "DBX." The UK report suggests that AM will build a rival to luxury performance cars such as the Mercedes McLaren SLR, with the newcomer to be based on the current vertical horizontal (VH) platform. Engineers would tweak the venerable 5.9L V12 engine to the tune of 700bhp, and utilize technology from the upcoming DBS.

With Prodrive now linked internally with Aston, we’re likely to see more involvement from the motor sports firm in future models. As they did with the development of the V8 Vantage, Prodrive would design most of the suspension and engine systems. Though the report is mostly speculation, a new flagship coupe is more likely to eventuate than earlier suggestions of a luxury crossover.