Is the notion of a Rolls-Royce 4x4 really all that shocking? Innovative, exciting and intriguing, yes. But shocking? I don’t think so.

It’s not hard to imagine the core values of Rolls-Royce transferring to this new arena. Space, comfort, refinement and luxury are easily imagined. The only serious question mark must be over the exterior styling, but Rolls has quite openly stalled for a long time while it resolves the issue.

Some may suggest that an SUV rails against the firm’s heritage and that such a vehicle couldn’t ever acquire the authenticity required at such a rarified price point. But that’s to overlook that Rolls-Royces have long been used for long-distance adventures through barren landscapes. This new SUV should only reinvigorate that tradition.

It’s intriguing, too, that Rolls-Royce's plans to base it on a new platform which will eventually underpin other cars in the range. Bespoke attributes should be a Rolls-Royce hallmark. A move from BMW architecture also marks a significant shift from that which has gone before, and strikes a significantly different strategy from that taken by the VW Group's Bentley and Lamborghini.

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