Rolls-Royce has long been known for opulence, power, tradition and luxury taken to the extreme. For years considered the gold standard in hyper luxury vehicles, its first all-wheel-drive Sport Utility Vehicle adheres to the core principles on which Rolls Royce’s reputation is based.
Power + Technology
The Cullinan – named for the Cullinan diamond, the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered, is a 6,000-pound SUV that has automotive experts struggling to find new descriptors for its lavish accoutrements and powerful dynamics. It features a unique aluminum spaceframe and new Rolls-Royce chassis technology. The Black Badge Cullinan, one of the packages available in this SUV, has a 6.75-liter V12 engine. It boasts 592 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, which is quite the power boost. In layman terms, that means that in just 4.5 seconds it can zoom smoothly and effortlessly from zero to 60 miles per hour, – which is a feat for a car of this weight. It can reach a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
Perfect Silence
But it’s also super-quiet, thanks to its combination of sound-deadening material, double-thick glass and foam-filled tires. These features reduce the volume of the V12 engine and reduce the noise of other sounds emanating from outside the vehicle. For the driver and passengers, that means the vehicle’s interior remains quiet and serene.
The Cullinan features a sport drive setting that is engaged by pressing the “Low” button on the gear stalk. Use this setting and you feel an immediate improvement in throttle response for the eight-speed automatic transmission. Press the “Off Road Button” and you engage all wheel drive, which means the vehicle’s suspension raises by 40mm and brake and throttle increase in sensitivity. The Cullinan’s larger set of brake discs means it comes to a standstill faster, too.
Opulent Details
Inside, there’s a combination of signature Rolls-Royce luxury and ample space at every turn. In the second row two rear configurations are offered: individual seats or lounge seats. The lounge seat can accommodate three while the individual seats fit two. The rear seats are also foldable in a number of configurations.
In the individual seat configuration, the rear seats are divided by a fixed rear centre console that incorporates a drinks cabinet featuring a pair of drinks decanters (one refrigerated and the other at room temperature – because you never know quite what you’ll want at any one time!), whisky glasses and champagne flutes. Picnic tables can be electronically deployed in case you’re in the mood for a snack, and each passenger in the rear seats gets a television screen and a thick lambswool floor mat – the kind that might tempt you to remove your shoes.
Massage, Drinks & More
Look up and the starlight roof lining imitates the night sky. Look around and you inhale the sleek elegance of the box-grain leather and wood trim. Relax into the seats and activate the soothing massage function, and you might never want to emerge. And hit the stereo – Rolls-Royce bespoke audio, and you’re transported. The sound is that good.
Photo by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Automotive Intelligence
Beyond comfort, the Cullinan is a smart car. It contains intelligent cameras that scan the road, automatically adjusting the suspension to acceleration and steering to ensure control. It’s a big car, for sure, but the car experts are unanimous that it’s remarkably agile, exacting, responsive and stable for its size. Furthermore, they say, it delivers an unsurpassed ride quality that makes you feel as if you’re floating over the road. Rolls Royce calls that the “enhanced magic carpet ride sensation.”
With its rectangular front grille, the Cullinan has an imposing, unmistakable presence. But it’s also incredibly practical. The interior is roomy, while the trunk has 19.7 cubic feet of cargo space – and up to 66 cubic feet if you fold the lounge bench seats. Owners will enjoy the many thoughtful features, like the glass partition that separates the passenger cabin from the luggage compartment, ensuring that the temperature and volume in the cabin is unaffected even when the luggage compartment is open.
Rolls-Royce Signature
If your budget accommodates a Rolls-Royce, you likely already know that when you buy one you get an incredible combination of performance, high-level luxury, comfort and refinement. The Cullinan nails these qualities in an SUV. In the unminced words of Müller-Ötvös: “Cullinan is luxury in its purest form blended with perfect practicality and off-road capability. Effortless, Everywhere is not just the promise behind Cullinan. It’s the fact.”
