Though it’s hard to imagine that Aston Martin’s first luxury SUV will ever end up anywhere as rugged and muddy as the Welsh forest (we imagine the streets of Mayfair and Kensington will prove to be its favoured habitat), the new images of the DBX prototype at least indicate this won’t be an all talk and no trousers exercise. Styling wise, it’s difficult to ascertain too much through the distracting camouflage, but the overall proportions and gaping front grille lend it a look different enough to its rivals from Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Maserati. Just a stone’s throw from Aston’s new St Athan plant in which the DBX will be built, the Welsh forest is the first challenge in what will be a punishing regime of testing, encompassing extreme environments ranging from the frozen Arctic to the searing deserts of the Middle East. The DBX is due to make its official debut in the final quarter of 2019. 

Photos: Aston Martin Lagonda