Rolls-Royce Cullinan Keys to a New Generation of Luxury SUVs

Rolls-Royce is a household name for its luxury cars that are suited to the ultra-rich who want to explore the world and cruise off to sunset in luxury. Cullinan, the company's new SUV, is designed to lure rich people away from their Range Rovers or Bentaygas.

Its new architecture and technologies deliver iconic design, unparalleled space and usability, as also peerless on-road and off-road capability.

Effortless All Over

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is designed for people who consider travel to be an art form and a way of life. This means it needs to be as easy off-road as a highway. The brand's new SUV, described as the "first all-terrain Rolls-Royce," makes that possibility a reality. Its unique features are a testament to a tradition built on perfection and excellence.

Cullinan is able to ignore bumps and imperfections. Its soft suspension makes the road feel like a silky carpet.

During our test drive of the Cullinan, we took it off-road on dirt and gravel, as well as on roads that are paved, but with potholes and other imperfections. The car's all-wheel drive and oversized tires allowed it to take on difficult terrain with confidence. It has a low-riding, suspension system that allows it to crawl over obstacles and rocks without causing damage to its underside.

In addition to its all-terrain capability and all-terrain capability, the Cullinan is loaded with advanced technology to make the owner's journeys as easy as is possible. The SUV comes with forward-collision warnings that include automatic emergency braking, night vision and vision assist, a surround-view camera system which is useful when parking or driving in spaces rendered tight by the Cullinan's size, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warnings. It also has a WiFi hotspot, navigation, and a world-class head-up display.

The Cullinan has a sturdy construction that is favored by people with wealth. Every knob, switch or touchpoint feels like it could last for a thousand years. At that point it might just need a little spit in order to keep working. The cabin is adorned in wood, chrome, and leather -- with the Spirit of Ecstasy looking down on the driver and passengers from a high perch above the dashboard.

The Cullinan's cabin is equipped with cutting-edge technology, it's missing some of the gizmos that younger drivers might crave. It lacks the driver aids such as semi-autonomous highways and lane-keeping or the connected gadgets that are becoming frequent in cars.

Clasp

Cullinan is unbeatable off-road capability with just a push of one button, which is known as Everywhere by Rolls Royce engineers. The driver can adjust the air suspension of the SUV to absorb any bumps or ruts that may occur along the route. In addition the drive and propel shafts ensure that all 850Nm is sent to the front and rear wheels exactly at the exact time.

Cullinan, the first rolls royce key-Royce to have a tailgate and rear doors that open in a similar fashion to pickup trucks is the first rolls royce presentation key Box-Royce that has an open tailgate. The design creates an SUV with a three-box appearance. It also opens up a large cargo area with 21 cubic feet when the rear seat elevated. The floor is lower than the seatbacks, which helps keep items from sliding.

The main cabin of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan provides an approach that is more practical to luxury than anything previously seen in the production Rolls-Royce car. The rear passengers, for instance, sit higher than the front passengers and can enjoy a better perspective of the world beyond their vehicle. The layout can be configured to suit different needs as well as the standard rear bench providing the option of a 40/20/40 split as well as folding seatbacks that can be folded for more flexibility.

The rear-view mirrors were modified to complement the more utilitarian design. The Rolls-Royce badge was mounted on a smaller plinth distinct from the numberplate housing with a thin stripe of jewellery to add decoration. The rear lights are an identical utilitarian design with two narrow upright units which house the lights as well as one strip of jewellery in their centre.

Cullinan, beyond the obvious advantages of an easier layout, is also the most accommodating Rolls-Royce for families ever. Its rear bench can be set up to seat three people, while the standard panoramic roof design means that you'll have plenty of space to stretch out. The Immersive Seating configuration allows drivers to enjoy their surroundings in luxury, encased in the finest leather. A Champagne decanter and a whisky cooler can be placed in the central console to enhance the luxury.

The Rear Passenger compartment

The Cullinan is an Rolls-Royce that's both like and unlike the previous models. It's big, ostentatious and opens up the brand to a whole new generation of customers who will happily drive it in places which other luxury SUVs be reluctant to go. Jackson Hole in Wyoming, where the SUV is made could be one of them.

From the side the vertical lines running from the front doors, down the raised bonnet edge and into the metal skid plate provide a confident sense intent for an SUV ready to take on the world. The massive wheels and the slender silhouette of the roofline create an impressive stance that conveys a strong and confident image.

Rolls-Royce engineers designed a unique design that blends a luxurious inside with unmatched off-road capabilities and uncompromising comfort. In doing so, they have crafted a vehicle that is both practical and truly iconic.

The vast glazed area on the industry's leading panoramic glass roof lets passengers on the rear of the vehicle to enjoy a panoramic view of their surroundings. And if they wish to find their current location around the globe it is easy to zoom in on themselves on the rear touchscreen map.

A major feature is that both of the rear seat backs can fold down, allowing for an ample space for cargo. By pressing the button they can be quickly lower without damaging the cushion. They can also be split in a 2/3 and 1/3 configuration, increasing the car's utility even more.

When they arrive, the occupants can get in and out of their Rolls-Royce in absolute comfort with legs shielded from dirt thanks to a layout that has both front and rear coach doors tucked low under the sill. This not only allows the passengers to get aboard without getting their trousers dirty and muddy, but also ensures that whatever they're carrying, a Mark Rothko canvas, for instance - will be protected.

Once inside, guests can toast their success by sipping a whisky from of the bottle holder that is hidden behind the front seats. When they're ready to take an afternoon nap, they can settle down in the heated and massaged rear seats and relax with the help of the available neck-, shoulder- and leg-rests.

The Glass Partition

The Cullinan, with a starting price of $325,000, is unique to any other vehicle that's ever left the Goodwood factory of Rolls-Royce in its 114-year-old history. It's not just the fact that it comes with all-wheel drive, a button marked "Off Road," or usable ride height (Rolls-Royce has a long overland tradition dating back to T.E. Lawrence's 1914 armoured car). It's not, as this SUV was designed to be an automobile for families that is meant to be driven and not left in the care of an individual chauffeur.

That means it's the first vehicle to have an interior passenger compartment that can seat three in comfort and still leave enough space for luggage and equipment. It offers a variety of immersive seating options such as rear-seat massaging seats. The center console can also be equipped with champagne coolers as well as two Rolls-Royce Champagne flutes or a whisky decanter.

The Spirit of Ecstasy is what is what sets this Rolls-Royce apart from Bentaygas and Range Rovers that have been in competition for the attention of wealthy customers in recent years. The hood ornament is an constant reminder that the Cullinan isn't just your standard SUV.

I was also awed by the restraint of the cabin of Rolls-Royce. While some manufacturers are saturating their cabins with layers of technology Cullinan's center stack is simple and clear display that is similar to traditional gauges.

Box-grain leather is one the most noticeable changes to previous Rolls-Royce models. This type of leather is made by pressing a metal framework into the hide, then followed by lacquering. The result is a dark black finish that is more durable than smooth leather that is used in other luxury automobiles.

The Cullinan is a sublime car that blends all the features that make SUVs so popular. There are some disadvantages. Most importantly it's an absurd amount of money you can spend on an SUV, especially one with the luxury of this. If you want to buy a Cullinan you'll probably need to sell a couple pieces of art, or even skip your summer in Nice.