While Bentley was still celebrating the Bentayga Speed’s record as the fastest internal combustion engine-powered SUV up the Goodwood Hill Climb, Aston Martin crashed the party in the same event itself — with the Aston Martin DBX S demolishing that time by over two and a half seconds, setting a blistering 53.12-second run against the Bentayga’s 55.8 seconds.
As always, Goodwood delivered its fair share of drama. While much of the spotlight was on Koenigsegg’s Sadir’s Spear setting a record time to get back at the Rimac Nevera R, and Toyota surprising us with a V8 prototype supercar, Aston Martin quietly stole the show. With a short and cheeky Instagram post, they revealed their DBX S had shattered Bentley’s hopes of SUV supremacy.
The Aston Martin DBX S is powered by a Mercedes AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that produces 727 hp and 900 Nm — a 20 hp increase over the DBX 707 thanks to new turbos borrowed from the Valhalla supercar. The car is fitted with a nine-speed automatic gearbox powering all four wheels, which enables a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h.
Along with several cosmetic enhancements befitting the “S” badge, the DBX S is 47 kg lighter thanks to its 23-inch magnesium wheels and optional carbon fibre roof. Additional weight savings come from a lightweight polycarbonate honeycomb grille and a redesigned carbon fibre rear bumper.
Aston Martin says the DBX S inherits several suspension tweaks from the DBX 707, which include revised air springs and electronic dampers for improved ride quality and stability when taking corners.
In contrast, the Bentley Bentayga Speed’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 650 hp and 850 Nm of torque. It does 0-100 km/h in a slightly slower 3.4 seconds, although top speed is the same at 310 km/h — not that it really matters at Goodwood anyway.
The Bentley Bentayga Speed is also treated to several tweaks to improve handling and power delivery, but with such a significant difference in outputs, it’s not enough to stand against the DBX S.
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England’s true fastest SUV, the Aston Martin DBX S, starts at GBP210,000 (approx. RM1.19 million) in the UK — slightly less than the Bentley Bentayga Speed’s GBP219,000 (approx. RM1.25 million). However, unlike the DBX S, the Bentayga Speed is already open for order in Malaysia, priced from RM2.8 million including duties but before options. Once it does arrive in Malaysia, you can expect the DBX S to land in a similar price range.
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