Aston Martin is set to jump into the crossover SUV game just like everyone else. The British automaker is now testing its prototype DBX, and Aston Martin is doing so on a Welsh Rally Stage. That’s a great place to put a machine through its proper paces, as you can stay out in the mud and trees and avoid any confusing road signage set off with an unnerving amount of letters.


From Wales, Aston Martin will take the DBX on a world tour of pain. Frozen Alpine passes and the deserts of the Middle East will serve as play time and school sessions for Aston Martin engineers. There will also be trips to the Autobahn and the Nurburgring for high-speed and on-road testing and development. That makes sense, since Aston Martin has its own test center located on a B-road just outside the Green Hell.
This Aston Martin will officially wear the name DBX. It’s set to arrive in the latter half of 2019. It’s highly likely that AM will opt to stuff the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the hood to start. A V12 version would be rather delightful down the road as well. But that’s just speculation on our part at the moment. Regardless of the engine choice, I look forward to seeing Aston Martins covered in mud and dirt in the not-too-distant future.