Prepare yourself for the year of the ‘Super SUVs’

Prepare yourself for the super sports utility vehicle – which we’ll abbreviate to SSUV. Fast, expensive, outrageously styled; these are a cut above the regular SUVs that are in such demand that manufacturers are falling over themselves to churn them out in all shapes and sizes.  

In this rarefied and exclusive ­domain, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and others are all building SUVs that will dominate the world of luxury motoring from 2018. The automotive equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, this new generation will blend outsize practicality with astonishing performance. These SUVs will carry the family and a pooch or several, yet crack the 0-62mph barrier in fewer than four seconds, in theory at least.

Even Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne has said that the company will build an SUV, one that “by definition will drive like a Ferrari” – ­although a production decision will not be made…