The 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Is Unveiled

If Rolls-Royce didn’t make a utility vehicle, it’d be leaving money on the table. It didn’t rush one out, though, the car has had a four-year-long development cycle. It might not be the first super-luxe automaker with an SUV in its lineup, but Rolls-Royce is determined to have the best one, and its name is Cullinan.

Signature “Pantheon” radiator grille

Rolls-Royce clearly wanted to make a car that embodies every inch of its badge, and it seems that the 2019 Cullinan fits the bill.

The Cullinan is 5.3m long and weighs 2.6 tonnes

The Cullinan offers nearly every kind of bespoke feature you could imagine. The front end’s layout is similar to the eighth-generation Phantom’s, but the character lines are exaggerated. Everything is bulkier. The Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament, a Rolls-Royce staple since the Bronze Age, is right where it should be. The chrome grille is a bit more understated than the Phantom’s, but the latter is still head of the family, after all.

Tan leather interiors of the Magma Red exterior

Out back, the Cullinan’s D-pillar is as beefy as the Phantom’s, but whereas the super-sedan’s has more of a curve to it, the Cullinan again takes the blockier approach.

Glass panels between the rear seating and booth space to minimise noise

Open up the suicide doors and you’ll find an interior fit for the six-figure price tag. The dashboard layout is similar to that of the Phantom, but once again, there’s a bit more bulk and it lacks the Phantom’s ridiculous Gallery on the passenger side.

The real treat is in the second row. The first configuration, called Lounge Seats, is a typical three-abreast layout with electronically folding rear seats where the headrests move up to avoid imprinting the leather.

The two rear seats fold back completely to extend the booth space

The second configuration is a bit more traditional. The Individual Seat layout has two separate rear seats with a large, permanent center console between the two that carries both whisky glasses and champagne flutes in addition to a refrigerator. There’s also a glass partition between the cargo area and the seats, so that one need not suffer the presence of luggage.

The trunk has a removable parcel shelf. The floor is lower than the seat base to prevent things from sliding forward when the seats are flattened, but it can raise up to accommodate large items like, as Rolls-Royce’s press release suggests, “a Mark Rothko from the Art Gallery.”

6.75-liter, twin-turbocharged V12 engine putting out 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque

Under that long hood is Rolls-Royce’s 6.75-liter, twin-turbocharged V12 putting out 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. It’s sent to all four wheels through a transmission of some kind, Rolls-Royce didn’t say, but it’s probably the Phantom’s eight-speed automatic.

Approach the Cullinan and it lowers about 1.5 inches to let you in, raising upon startup. The air suspension has adaptive damping and was built specifically with some degree of off-roading in mind — but a Rolls-Royce kind of off-roading, where everything is still preternaturally smooth. A single off-road button on the dash is all it takes to prep the thing for the dirt. It’ll ford just over 21 inches of water, if you need it to.

The Tungsten grey exterior offers pale grey interior leathers

Following with the tradition of the latest BMW infotainment systems, the Cullinan’s in-dash tech now sports touch-capable operation, but there’s still a dial on the center console if you prefer. There’s also a touchscreen map for the rear. A Wi-Fi hotspot is available, but not in North America. Additional tech includes adaptive cruise control, night vision assist, a surround-view camera system, forward collision warning and a head-up display.

Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke arm also has these things called Recreation Module. Each is tailored to an owner’s specific pastimes — the press release uses drone racing as an example. The module slots into the cargo area, and when it’s time to party, a motorized drawer opens up with everything you’ll need for said pursuit.

The Cullinan has a sun roof
Having a design that the company calls “the clasp”. The car has fold-out seating and a small table hidden in the booth space

When it comes to Rolls-Royce, the sky’s the limit in terms of what you can spend on a vehicle. The Cullinan starts at $325,000.

Source: CNET

Images courtesy: The Telegraph

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