The Bentayga is an incredible new SUV for a whole host of different reasons. For starters it’s every bit as good to drive as it is merely to sit in. We need to wait until we drive it on more familiar UK roads before passing a final judgement on its ultimate capabilities, preferably alongside its key rivals from Germany and the United Kingdom. But for the time being, be in no doubt; Bentley has moved the SUV game to a different part of the pitch with the Bentayga. Is it the best in the business? For the time being it’s a very strong maybe.

Steve Sutcliffe drives what Bentley claims is the "fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world."

We bet it won't be long before the parking lots outside every upscale establishment, from Beverly Hills to Dubai to Shanghai, will be packed with Bentaygas.

Bentley's own Mulliner department is already set up to differentiate yours from every other. But in case the factory options don't suffice, Startech is here to offer more. Brabus' division for everything other than Mercs is the first (that we've seen at any rate) to offer customization options for Crewe's debut crossover.

Chief among the alternatives Startech offers for the Bentayga is a widebody kit, including new front and rear bumpers, complete with front spoiler, honeycomb lower grille inserts, and increased ventilation for the radiators and front brakes. At the rear, there's a bumper with an integrated diffuser and optional trailer hitch as well as LED taillights, rear lip spoiler and quad aluminum exhaust tips. The fenders are widened as well, along with modified door panels, to give the big Bentley a broadened stance.

Startech offers a choice of wheel options ranging up to 23 inches in diameter, hooked up to a lowered air suspension. There's a wide range of customization options on offer for the interior as well. And though it has only completed the adaptive exhaust system so far, customers will be able to chose from a series of upgrades already in the works for the 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine. You know, in case the standard 600 horsepower won't suffice.

The VW Group’s embarrassing diesel scandal hasn’t deterred Bentley from creating its first ever diesel-powered vehicle based on their…first ever SUV, the Bentayga.

Aptly (and some would say, very mainstream-ly) named the Bentagya Diesel, it shares the related Audi SQ7’s triple-charged 4.0-liter V8 diesel lump that exploits a pair of twin-scroll turbochargers and a so-called “e-booster” 48v electric supercharger to produce the same 435PS (429 HP) and 900Nm (664 pound-feet) of torque.

We don’t know if we should be surprised that Bentley announces the same 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time as the Audi SQ7 at 4.8 seconds, but instead of limiting the SUVs top speed at 155mph (250km/h) like the Germans, the Brits allow the Bentayga Diesel to reach a loftier 168mph (270km/h), which in turn, lets them brag about it being the “fastest diesel SUV in the world”.

Again, as with the SQ7 (see a pattern here?), the Bentayga Diesel mates the V8 oil-burner to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four-wheels.

Bentley boasts that the diesel-powered SUV has the lowest CO2 rating in its range at 210g/km, with a claimed –and we stress that- fuel economy of 38.5mpg UK (equal to 32.0mpg US or 7.3 l/100km).

We won’t see the Bentayga Diesel at next week’s Paris Auto Show as Bentley has decided to skip this year’s event, but the SUV will go on sale across Europe before the end of 2016, with UK prices to start from £135,800, which is £30,000 less than the W12 model, but almost double the price of the £70,000 Audi SQ7. No word yet on availability in North America, but we wouldn't bet on it, at least not in the near future.

We all know that the Bentley Bentayga is one of the most expensive SUVs currently on the market, starting in the US from around $232k.

In order to justify the premium, Bentley has gifted the Bentayga with one of the most special cabins ever, a twin-turbo 6.0-litre W12 engine that makes it ridiculously fast, paired of course with supreme road manners.

But there is more depth to it: prospective customers are offered a huge list of options with which they can tailor the car to their exact taste and buy their own one-off vehicle, should they desire.

If you followed the news on Bentley’s 187mph super-luxury SUV, you would know that the most unbelievable option is of course a special Breitling clock that adds -wait for it- $160k on the price of the car. Too bad though only four Bentaygas per year can be specified with this time-changing option.

There is a lot of meticulous craftsmanship going on, with nothing but the best materials used for the interior, but this should be expected by a British luxury vehicle of this level. Even the inside of the glove box is fully carpeted.

Are these details enough? Watch Doug deMuro’s review on the video linked below and have your say in the comments.

No matter how luxurious or elegant a car is, there are still those who prefer a more stealthy appearance, with matte black being a very popular choice.

This particular Bentayga was customized by Aspire Autosports and Bentley Tampa Bay to be a "1 of 1" luxury SUV, adopting the "Stealth Edition" moniker.

The exterior features a matte black wrap, black wheels, black badges and black trim pretty much all over. The interior isn't as dark, but still has plenty of black surfaces that sort of match the outside of the car.

Powering the Bentayga is a 6.0-liter W12 producing 608 PS and 900 Nm (663 lb-ft) of torque. In a straight line, it will do 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.1 seconds before maxing out at around 301 km/h (187 mph).

While this is just one example of what can be done with a Bentayga in terms of customization, there will surely be many more to follow. We've already seen what Startech had up their sleeves concerning Bentley's first-ever SUV, and we're still waiting for Mansory to finish up their own project as well, so stay tuned.

the most unbelievable option is of course a special Breitling clock that adds -wait for it- $160k on the price of the car.