The Aston Martin DBX SUV is the firm's savior right now. Sales remain strong and a plug-in hybrid variant is on the way. A high-performance version that might pack Aston's 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 with around 630 horsepower is also in the works. But there's another powertrain on the way and it'll actually be debuting tomorrow.

The UK carmaker has announced on Chinese social media platform Weibo (the country's homemade Facebook rival) that a straight-six-powered DBX will arrive on November 13. The teaser shows the iconic DB5 which also came powered by a straight-six, specifically a 4.0-liter unit. Aston Martin made clear this latest engine is for China and no one else, at least for now.

"DBX Straight-Six is exclusively offered in China. There are no plans currently to expand into other markets," a spokesperson said.

Unfortunately, the teaser provided no other details, like the engine's builder and its displacement. If we had to guess, this engine, like the standard DBX's AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 542 hp and 516 lb-ft, also comes via Mercedes. Back in 2018, the German carmaker launched a new 3.0-liter turbocharged, mild-hybrid inline-six for the previous generation S-Class. The following year it came stateside in the AMG E53 where it produces 429 hp and 384 lb-ft.

The DBX V8's nine-speed automatic that routes power to all four wheels will likely carry over. Mercedes has a 90-year history of doing six-cylinders and this latest one was designed to meet a growing number of country's strict emissions standards. Developing a new engine from scratch is a pricey and lengthy endeavor, hence Aston's decision to seek assistance from Mercedes once again. A less powerful and cheaper DBX in the world's largest automotive market also enables Aston to expand its customer base.

We'll know additional details shortly but don't expect the straight-six option to happen. Aston is keener to get Americans into the upcoming PHEV DBX.