In 007's Tire Tracks

Capable of doing 0 to 60 in just 3.1 seconds, the Aston Martin DBX707 is an SUV worthy of secret agents

- By Jared Paul Stern

It’s one of the most iconic car-chase scenes in the famed franchise, not to mention the entire genre: Roger Moore as 007 with Bond Girl Barbara Bach escaping the baddies in an amphibious Lotus Esprit Turbo, in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me. Whilst watching Bond pursued by multiple vehicles, including a motorcycle complete with a missile launcher disguised as a sidecar, and a similarly-equipped helicopter, one can’t help but notice the unusually beautiful scenery flying past. No accident, that, as the location was Sardinia’s stunning Costa Smeralda, with Bond and his babe setting out from the legendary Hotel Cala di Volpe.

Fast forward 45 years, and that Lotus belongs to a certain Elon Musk, while mid-size crossover SUVs have become so ubiquitous that even 007’s current favorite marque, Aston Martin, is making them. The DBX as it’s called was launched in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, which in no way dampened customers’ enthusiasm. Two years on, Aston has now introduced an amped-up version, the DBX707—fittingly enough launched at Cala di Volpe, which continues to reign the Costa Smeralda with its unparalleled version of timeless elegance.

The DBX707 is nothing less than the world’s fastest, most powerful and best-handling luxury SUV, and the 697-hp (707 in ps, aka metric horsepower) Bond-worthy beauty is just as much of a fire-breathing British thoroughbred as Aston Martin’s sports cars, with room for that many more of Q Branch’s gadgets in back. The vehicle is capable of a maximum speed of 193 mph and can do 0-60mph in just 3.1 seconds, thanks to enhancements to the stock DBX’s turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, easily thrashing competitors like the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga Speed.