Customers around the world had asked Rolls-Royceto build “The Rolls-Royce of SUVs“, with luxury, performance and usability not seen before in the SUV market and the end result was the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV. Many of these customers were younger, very successful high-net-worth individuals who are heavily engaged in the experience economy, and wanted a Rolls-Royce that would take them to the ends of the Earth in ultimate luxury.
What does it do? Check out the video below:
https://youtu.be/DWQBafAV9Zk
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is designed to completely get off the beaten track without being as ubiquitous as an SUV with compromises such as increased cabin noise, shared platforms, choice of being good either on-road or off-road; or a lower, more featureless SUV that blends in and becomes just another car. Cullinan is said to be luxury in its purest form blended with perfect practicality and off-road capability.
For the first time a Rolls-Royce has an opening tailgate, called ‘The Clasp’. The rear profile of Cullinan is a two-part, ‘D-Back’ format, with the bustle denoting the place of the luggage. ‘The Clasp’ opens and closes in its two sections automatically at the touch of the key fob button.
The rear passenger compartment of Cullinan can be configured in two options – Lounge Seats or Individual Seats.
The Lounge Seat configuration is the more functional of the two options, with space for three passengers in the rear. The Individual Seat configuration is for those who value the ultimate luxury an SUV can offer over practicality. The two individual rear seats are separated by a Fixed Rear Centre Console incorporating a drinks cabinet with Rolls-Royce whisky glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and refrigerator.
A glass partition isolates the passenger cabin from the luggage compartment, creating an inner ecosystem for the occupants.
Cullinan awakes at the touch of the unlock button on the Bespoke key, or by simply reaching out to its tactile stainless steel door handle. It lowers itself by 40mm to make entry effortless. The door closing button or one touch of the sensor on the exterior door handles will see the doors automatically close themselves from outside. A touch of the start button then elevates Cullinan 40mm to its standard ride height. Those in the rear sit higher than those in the front of the car on Rolls-Royce’s Pavilion Seating.
Inside, the Cullinan features thicker, smaller steering wheel (heated), heated and ventilated seats, five USB ports, and latest generation of digital instruments. The central information screen is for the first time touch sensitive. Further equipment includes:
- Night Vision and Vision Assist including daytime and night-time Wildlife & Pedestrian warning
- Alertness Assistant
- 4-Camera system with Panoramic View
- All-round visibility and helicopter view
- Active Cruise Control
- Collision Warning
- Cross-Traffic Warning
- Lane Departure and Lane Change Warning
- 7×3 High-Resolution Head-Up Display
- WiFi hotspot
- Latest Navigation and Entertainment Systems
The Cullinan was designed and engineered from the ground up. The component parts of the base architecture were reconfigured into a spaceframe that was higher and shorter whilst also delivering a completely new feature never seen before on a series production Rolls-Royce – a tailgate. The all-new aluminium sub-structure is aimed to deliver car body stiffness for ‘best-in-class’ functional performance on rough terrain whilst offering better ride comfort.
Mechanically, the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan uses a new 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 engine which delivers 563bhp of power 850Nm of torque which is available at just 1,600rpm.
The suspension makes millions of calculations every second as it continuously varies the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system – reacting to body and wheel acceleration, steering inputs and camera information. In the case of driving off-road, the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system uses an air compression system to actively push down any wheel it detects losing traction.
Visually, the Cullinan features the unmistakable and iconic design, proper Rolls-Royce proportions inside and out, and uncompromised levels of luxury. Key features such as lights and air intakes are deep set into the bodywork, whilst strong vertical and horizontal lines are aimed to create a powerful visage, with the prominent brow of a Saxon warrior created by the line that runs across the top of the pantheon grille and ‘eyebrow’-like daytime running lights.
The grille is created from hand-polished stainless steel. The Rolls-Royce badge and Spirit of Ecstasy ride significantly above the line of the wing. Away from the face of Cullinan, the vertical lines that run from the A-pillars down along the raised bonnet edge, down the side of the grille and into the metal skid plate below.
Another evident feature, visible from the side, are the 22-inch wheel hubs. The rear view of Cullinan continues the theme of functionality, with the design reduced to a functional baseline. The design theme for the rear lights also remains simple as two narrow upright units house all the lights and are minimally adorned by thin narrow strips of jewellery at their centre. A final mark of functionality are the exposed metal exhaust pipes and skid plate.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan features at a glance
- The most anticipated car of 2018 and, quite possibly, the most anticipated Rolls-Royce of all time.
- Named after the largest diamond ever discovered which now resides in the British Crown Jewels.
- An all-terrain high-bodied car that makes the idea of authentic, luxury off-road travel a reality for the first time.
- Contemporary and functional design ensures Cullinan gains iconic status in the face of increasingly bland SUV designs.
- The first “three-box” car in the SUV-sector. Cullinan’s rear partition wall creates a distinct environment for passengers, separated from the luggage compartment.
- The most practical of Rolls-Royces. Cullinan is the most versatile, family oriented, fun-to-drive super-luxury SUV available today.
- The second new Rolls-Royce to sit on the all-new aluminium ‘Architecture of Luxury’, Cullinan is the most technologically advanced, and only purpose-built, luxury SUV in the world.
- Tested to destruction all over the planet, Cullinan is an incredibly capable off-roader that sees the development of the ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ for off-road enjoyment, without sacrificing any Rolls-Royce on-road behaviour.
- Cullinan offers a suite of Bespoke features developed specifically for the many various lifestyles of its owners including the Viewing Suite and the Recreation Module.
- The 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 Rolls-Royce engine delivers 563bhp/420kW and 850Nm/627lb ft of torque to the all-new all-wheel drive, all-wheel steer system needed to overcome any challenge.
- A century-long pedigree of adventurous quests and campaigns successfully carried out across all terrains thanks to the luxury offered by a stout vehicle that was swift, stealthy and dependable. “A Rolls in the desert is above rubies” – T.E. Lawrence.
Check out complete image gallery of the New 2018 Rolls-Royce Cullinan below:
