According to consumer research by Bentley, there is definitely a market for an ultra-luxurious 4x4. Souped-up, gold-painted Range Rover Sports will not be enough for the tycoons, sheikhs and rappers of tomorrow. Indeed, Rolls Royce and Lamborghini have come to the same conclusion, with new super 4x4s in the offing.

But going by its new off-road prototype, the Bentayga, it is Bentley that is stealing a march on the competition.

With baited breath, motoring journalists have been over in Spain this week to try out the first of this new breed of vehicle. So what did they think?

Perhaps most of those lucky enough to experience the Bentayga had the controversial EXP 9 F concept in their minds when they clambered inside. The awkwardly-titled prototype did not go down too well among motoring scribes – largely because of its bulky, show-off appearance. But then, showing off is a key consideration for most Bentley owners, and this, coupled with distinct interest in the development of a super-off-roader from those with enough cash, prompted Bentley to proceed with the project.

Visually, this prototype is a toned-down version of the concept vehicle – which for many is a good thing. The torpedo-tube headlamps have been replaced with a more refined lighting set-up, although that look-at-me Bentley grille is still in evidence.

The Bentayga’s body shape is not too different from the concept machine, but has certainly been refined. The lightweight aluminium shell provides strength while cutting down on overall weight, thereby boosting agility.

But the 6.0-litre 550bhp engine is anything but lightweight. The all-new W12 unit can push the Bentayga to 170mph – which for such a large vehicle is impressive indeed. Even more eye-opening is the 0-62mph acceleration time of under 5 seconds. And while visceral power was no doubt at the forefront of the designers’ minds, there is still a nod to the eco-conscious millionaire: the engine shuts off four of its cylinders when cruising in a bid to save petrol. But with an estimated fuel economy of 18mpg, this feature is hardly going to delight green-minded sheikhs and tree-caressing tycoons, should they exist.

A more pressing question among adventurous would-be Bentayga owners might be: can it get me up that rubble-strewn hillside or through that muddy valley in utmost comfort? The answer is – kind of.

According to Peter Guest, Bentley’s product line director: “The Bentayga is a 21st century grand tourer; it will be as at home in Kensington as it is in the Atacama Desert. The experience is always the same inside – the only thing that changes is what’s outside. It has Bentley values with added utility, and it will go to places that you wouldn’t usually go to.”

Well, reports from Spain suggest that a Bentayga grappling with a 30-degree mud-plastered hillside does not compare to picking up the kids from extra-maths in affluent west London. But it does appear to deal with extreme off-road situations well, with articulated suspension that allows the wheels to angle clear of  their housings in order to gain purchase.

It is not, however, quite as good as a Range Rover in accomplishing tricky ascents – by Guest’s own admittance. But then, how many of the world’s super-affluent would have their chauffeur attempt such truculent terrain? Like most Range Rover owners, the majority of Bentayga buyers may never find out what all those terrain parameters are actually for. And strangely, among the selection knob’s ‘snow’, ‘wet grass’, ‘gravel’, ‘mud and ruts’ and ‘sand’, Bentley appears to have omitted ‘ostentatious school-run’.

Perhaps it will appear in the finished version.