- Bentley has given a peek at a possible serious off-roader with the recently revealed Bentayga X Concept.
- Debuted at the FAT Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria, the Bentayga X Concept is being used to gauge client interest in a genuine off-road version of its polarising SUV.
- The Bentley Bentayga X Concept hasn’t yet been confirmed for production, but the growing demand for truly capable luxury 4x4s suggests it will arrive in some format.
Most Bentley Bentayga owners want plenty of space and enough road presence to turn heads, but for those seeking a truly capable off-roader, the standard version isn’t likely to cut the mustard.
In an effort to understand exactly how much appetite there might be for an all-terrain version, Bentley recently announced its all-new Bentayga X Concept, a luxury SUV that ticks all the boxes you’d want before leaving the bitumen.
Debuted at the FAT Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria, the Bentayga X Concept looks like it’s finally ready to earn its keep beyond the hotel driveway. Unsurprisingly, it started life as a Bentayga Speed, which means you’re getting that twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with 471kW of power, but the X isn’t just a badge you’d pay a premium for.
Bentley’s pushed it outward and upward with a wider track, increased ride height, extended wheel arches, and enough auxiliary lighting to turn night into day on an alpine back road. The most obvious difference between the X and a regular version is the rolling stock, with single-piece forged 22-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres.
This might be a small change on paper, but it’s massive when you’re no longer pretending that a gravel road is an “adventure”. Bentley claims 12.2 inches of ground clearance, nearly two feet of wading depth, and a track widened by almost five inches, giving us some numbers that start sounding properly serious.
Then there’s the roof rack, and for its FAT Ice Race debut, the British automaker had an electric go-kart sitting up top (sourced from the FAT Karting League).
There are probably very few prospective owners who’d want to use the genuinely capable-looking racks for a kid’s kart, but it’s nice to know they’ve got a decent weight limit.
Bentley says the whole point is feedback and to see if people actually want a Bentayga that can head off-piste with confidence. Judging by the direction luxury SUVs are heading (and Australia’s favourite luxury SUV in 2025), we wouldn’t be shocked if this one isn’t a concept for long.
