This is it, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is here. It was back in 2015 when Rolls-Royce had announced that it would launch its first-ever SUV. Finally, the time has come and the luxury car maker has introduced a product with luxury, performance and usability not seen before in the SUV market.
The luxury SUV gets its name from the largest rough diamond ever found. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan comes with many first-time features for the brand. The vehicle has been designed for very successful high-net-worth individuals to take them to the ends of the earth in ultimate luxury.
The Cullinan SUV is built on the Architecture of Luxury – Rolls-Royce’s proprietary all-aluminium architecture. It was designed and engineered from the ground up in such a way as to be scalable to the size and weight requirements of different future Rolls-Royce models, including those with different propulsion, traction and control systems, thus underpinning the long-term future product roadmap. The all-new aluminium sub-structure delivers extraordinary car body stiffness for exceptional ‘best-in-class’ functional performance on rough terrain whilst offering better ride comfort.
The Cullinan SUV has the features the iconic design and proper Rolls-Royce proportions. It measures 5341 mm in length, 2164 mm in width and 1835 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 3295mm and a turning circle radius of 13.23 m.
The lights and air intakes are deep set into the bodywork. The strong vertical and horizontal lines 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 iconic grille is created from hand-polished stainless steel. It sits a bit up and forward then the surrounding bodywork. The Rolls-Royce badge and Spirit of Ecstasy ride significantly above the line of the wing, giving them a unique vantage point. The two-tone front bumper also houses a metal skid plate which lends it a tough look.
From the side, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan might appear a bit smaller than what was expected. It features the typical Rolls-Royce long bonnet profile. The bonnet is set higher than the wings of the car to communicate greater toughness.
The roofline drops toward the rear onto the rear glass which resolves in an elegantly protruding boot lid that reminds one of the D-Back Rolls-Royces of the 1930’s, some of the last of the marque to still carry their owner’s luggage on a shelf outside the car. The famous rotating line then takes the eye back towards the front of Cullinan as it shoots forward through the 22-inch wheel hubs to give it a beautiful balance. The depth of the side profile is optically broken up by a piece of metal which appears like a Saxon spear.
The rear view of Rolls-Royce Cullinan continues the theme of functionality, with the design reduced to a functional baseline. The Rolls-Royce badge stands on its own smaller plinth separate and above a thin metal finisher over the number plate housing.
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. The two-tone rear bumper houses exposed metal exhaust pipes and skid plate, both reminding one of Cullinan’s power and ability.
Also, for the first time, a Rolls-Royce has an opening tailgate, called ‘The Clasp’. In a nod to the era when luggage was mounted on the exterior of the motor-car, so the occupants did not travel with their belongings, 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.
Moving inside, the cabin of Cullinan combines authentic Rolls-Royce luxury with simple, symmetrical functionality to express the car’s inherent strength. A touch of the unlock button on the Bespoke key or on the stainless steel door handle awakens the SUV. It lowers itself by 40mm to make entry effortless as the iconic Rolls-Royce coach doors wide to allow the occupant to enter into an adventure ride. The doors can be closed using the buttons inside or by touching the sensor on the exterior door handles.
The centre stack is framed by hand-finished metal pillars that bridge the upper fascia and middle console. The upper fascia is clad in a newly developed contemporary ‘Box Grain’ black leather – a durable and water-resistant boarded leather similar to that used in Italian high-end luggage and handbag design. It gives the fascia a sense of width as it runs across its upper segment, allowing the jewellery-like elements of clock and air vents to stand out beautifully.
Supporting this upper section is a strong band of wood that is moulded in three-dimensions to flow out to the centre stack, whilst the entire dashboard is protected by leather pads on top and at the bottom. The top pad is fashioned in a wing-like fashion, suggesting muscularity and movement, as well as the functionality of a cockpit.
The seats in Rolls-Royce Cullinan have a bold, confident character, showcasing Rolls-Royce quality and craftsmanship. They feature a simple but modern horseshoe graphic which emphasises the supportive bolsters of the seat. The entire backrest panel has been crafted from a single piece of leather to pick out a highly three-dimensional surface. All areas throughout the interior that are now heated include the front door armrests, front centre console lid, lower C-Pillar, rear side armrests and rear centre armrest.
The driver instantly recognises Rolls-Royce Cullinan as a driver’s car thanks to its thicker, smaller steering wheel. The SUV is offered with heated steering and heated and ventilated seats as standard. All information is clearly communicated by the latest generation of digital instruments, with the displays themselves designed with clear and beautiful virtual needles, Rolls-Royce jewellery-like chaplets and clear lettering.
Also, a first time in a Rolls-Royce, the central information screen is touch sensitive. This allows the driver to quickly select functions, map views and vehicle set-up whilst on the trail. It can also be controlled by the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy controller which sits on the central console. It also gets buttons for ‘Off-Road’ mode, Hill Descent Control and Air Suspension height adjustment controls.
The rear passenger compartment of Rolls-Royce Cullinan has been designed to offer the best seat in the house for the owner’s particular needs. Those in the rear sit higher than those in the front of the car on Rolls-Royce’s Pavilion Seating. Rear passengers also get two touchscreens as well. The SUV is offered with two rear configurations – Lounge Seats or Individual Seats.
The Lounge Seat configuration has space for three passengers in the rear and is the more functional of the two options. The rear seats also fold down, again a first for Rolls-Royce. The seats fold electronically in a number of configurations by pressing the appropriate button in the boot or rear door pocket. One press sees each backrest effortlessly fold down, whilst at the same time moving the headrests upwards to avoid making an imprint on the seat cushion. Both seatbacks can be folded completely, creating a flat load area or in a 2/3 and 1/3 split, increasing practicality even further.
The rear compartment or boot area offers a standard 560 litres of space, growing to 600 with the parcel shelf removed. Furthermore, the base of the rear seats sits higher than the boot floor, so even with both rear seats folded, the items in the boot cannot slip forward and are safely contained, unlike in any other SUV. But for those wishing to carry a long item, a loading length of 2245mm which longer than a Range Rover Vogue Extended Wheelbase and load capacity of 1930 litres is accessed by electronically raising the boot floor to meet the seat base, allowing the item to slide through effortlessly.
Knowing that the Rolls-Royce customer expects to bespoke his or her Cullinan, a second rear configuration is offered. 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. The seats also move in a number of planes to offer ultimate comfort whilst travelling in the rear.
One final feature brings Rolls-Royce’s ultimate level of luxury to this configuration of Cullinan, creating the first truly “three-box” SUV. A glass partition isolates the passenger cabin from the luggage compartment, creating an inner ecosystem for the occupants. In addition to enhanced and class-leading silence within the cabin, a further benefit becomes clear in the hottest and coldest of environments. Thanks to the sealed cabin created by the glass partition wall, the occupants can remain at the optimum temperature even when the luggage compartment stands open.
Passengers can also charge all their electronic devices via the five USB ports around the cabin, whilst phones can be wirelessly charged in the front of the cabin. Arriving at their remote destination, the occupants can descend without dirtying their trouser legs as both front and rear coach doors wrap low under the sill of Cullinan, ensuring that all dirt remains on the outside of the door. A feature only Rolls-Royce would have considered.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV is also the most technologically advanced car of its type in the world. It is equipped with features such as Night Vision and Vision Assist including daytime and night-time Wildlife & Pedestrian warning, Alertness Assistant, a 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, an industry-leading 7×3 High-Resolution Head-Up Display, WiFi hotspot, and of course the latest Navigation and Entertainment Systems.
Powering the Cullinan is Rolls-Royce’s V12 6.75 L petrol engine which produces 563 bhp at 5000 rpm and 850 Nm at 1600 rpm. The SUV has a limited top-speed of 250 km/h. This motor is paired with the 8-speed automatic Satellite aided transmission.
Rolls-Royce’s celebrated Magic Carpet Ride is present on the Cullinan during off-road as well as on-road. This is thanks to the new lighter architecture and the latest generation of self-levelling air suspension. It is also the first time in Rolls-Royce history, the inclusion of drive to the front wheels as well as the rear.
The Cullinan’s suspension makes millions of calculations every second as it continuously varies the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system. A new double-wishbone front axle and 5-link rear axle deliver astounding levels of control, agility and stability as does the addition of four-wheel steering, all contributing to incredible drivability and nimbleness.
When 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 to ensure every wheel is constantly in contact with the ground and maximum torque is being provided to all wheels.
The final piece of the puzzle of ensuring that the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is Effortless Everywhere is one single button. Known within Rolls-Royce as the ‘Everywhere’ button, one single push is all it takes to harness all the aforementioned peerless Rolls-Royce engineering and unleash all of Cullinan’s off-road capability. Once engaged, the driver can finesse the off-road setting to glide over any situation, whether it be rough track, gravel, wet grass, mud, snow or sand. The SUV also delivers the deepest wading depth of any super-luxury SUV at 540mm thanks to its highest ride height.
Owners of the Cullinan can also commission customized Rolls-Royce Recreation Modules to satisfy his or her preferred recreational pursuits. Fly fishing, photography, rock climbing, snowboarding, parascending, kiteboarding, base jumping, volcano boarding or simply sitting and taking in the view, anything is possible thanks to the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective. Easily slotted and plugged into the boot of Cullinan, each Recreation Module contains a motorised drawer housing the equipment and paraphernalia specific to each Cullinan owner’s pursuits. When the owner is ready to play, it presents itself.
2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Images:
