ARIEL NOMAD R & ASTON MARTIN DBX

THEIR MANUFACTURERS BOTH BEGIN WITH A. They both… um… have steering wheels? This is definitely the ‘odd couple’ category. Ostensibly you could say that they are both capable of going off road, but in R guise the Nomad really isn’t designed for those sorts of shenanigans – tarmac is its territory. So, in terms of compare and contrast, with these two it is more the latter.

Let’s start by clambering into the Ariel, which is easier said than done. For something that has no doors or windows it provides a curious puzzle for entry and exit strategies. One leg, bottom, other leg? Two legs, then bottom? Head first? Once you’ve made it into the one-piece plastic seat (good lateral, no lumbar), you’re presented with a screen surrounded by a number of dials,