Bentley flew a select group of the world’s top motoring journalists and personalities to South California so they could test their new and long-awaited SUV, the 2017 Bentley Bentayga. The event was more for fun really, seeing as the company has already received over 5,000 orders for the car without any review or test drive or promotion campaign.

Let’s join Shmee150 who was one of the lucky ones who got to drive the Bentley Bentayga on the sand dunes of South California and give it a good thrashing. In addition to the test drive, he also gives you a good look at the car inside and out:

Bentley Bentayga launches with a twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine developing 608 PS (600 bhp / 447kW) and 900 Nm (663 lb. ft), and delivering a 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds) and a top speed of 187 mph (301 km/h). Later one there will be more variants with V8s and even a hybrid powertrain, but only the W12 can be called “the world’s most powerful and fastest SUV.”