Rolls-Royce Cullinan Keys to a New Generation of Luxury SUVs
Rolls-Royce has been producing luxurious cars for those who want to drive into the sunset and explore the world in total luxury. Cullinan, the company's new SUV is designed to draw wealthy customers away from their Range Rovers or Bentaygas.
Its brand new architecture, technologies and design provide an iconic design, unmatched space and usability, as well as unbeatable off-road and on-road capabilities.
All Over Effortless
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan was designed for those who view travel as a form of art, a way to live. This means that it has to be just as effortless off-road as on a paved highway. The brand's new SUV, billed as the "first all-terrain Rolls-Royce," makes that possibility a reality. Its unique features reflect a legacy of perfection and excellence.
Cullinan does not care about bumps and imperfections. Its supple suspension makes the road feel like a silky carpet.
During TheKeyLab driving experience with the Cullinan the car, we drove off-road, both on mud and gravel, and on roads that were paved with potholes and other imperfections. The car's all-wheel drive and large tires let it take on difficult terrain with ease. It features a low-riding suspension system that allows it to climb over rocks and obstacles without causing damage to its underside.
In addition to its all-terrain ability, the Cullinan comes with a wealth of modern technology to make its owners' journeys as smooth as they can be. The SUV has forward-collision alerts with automatic emergency brakes, night-vision cameras, vision assist system to help you park or drive in tight spots as well as adaptive cruise control and warnings about lane departure. It also comes with a WiFi hotspot, navigation, and a head-up display that is a class-leader in the industry.
The Cullinan also comes with the kind of solid build quality that a high-end buyer would expect. Every knob, switch and touchpoint feels as though it's made to last for 1,000 years at which point it could just need a little spit to keep working. The interior is decorated with wood, leather, and chrome. The Spirit of Ecstasy sits high above the dashboard, and is looking at the driver and passengers.
The Cullinan has a cabin that is loaded with modern technology, but it's missing a few features that younger drivers might want. It doesn't have the kinds of driver aids that allow semi-autonomous highway and lane-keeping or the kinds of connected gizmos becoming more common in cars.
The Clasp
Cullinan offers unrivaled off-road capabilities with just a push of one button, which is known as Everywhere' by Rolls Royce engineers. This allows the driver to fine tune the SUV's self-leveling suspension to take on every bump and rut along the way, while the drive and prop shafts ensure all 850Nm of torque is delivered to the front and rear wheels at precisely the right time.
Cullinan is the first model from Rolls-Royce with a tailgate. The rear doors opening in a similar manner to those of pickup trucks. It's a design detail that creates a more tri-box appearance and increases the SUV's impressive appearance. It also allows access to an enormous cargo area of 21 cubic feet with the rear seat raised. The floor is lower than the base the seatbacks, which helps to keep items from sliding.
The main cabin of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan offers a more practical approach to luxury than anything previously seen in the production Rolls-Royce car. The rear passengers, for instance are seated higher than the front passengers and can enjoy a better perspective of the world beyond their car. The bench in the rear can be arranged in many ways to meet your requirements.
The rear-view mirrors were modified to complement the more utilitarian design. The Rolls-Royce badge was positioned on a smaller plinth separate from the housing for the numberplate, with a thin piece of jewellery to add decoration. The rear lights are a similar utilitarian look and are comprised of two narrow upright units that house the lights and a single stripe of jewelry in their central.
Beyond the obvious benefits of a more functional layout, Cullinan is the most family-friendly Rolls-Royce model to today. Its rear bench can be arranged to seat three people, while the standard panoramic roof means that they'll have plenty of room to stretch out. The Immersive Seating configuration lets drivers take in their surroundings in luxury, encased in the finest leather. To enhance this feeling of indulgence, a champagne cooler and whisky decanter could be placed inside the central console for easy access on those longer journeys.
The Rear Passenger Compartment
The Cullinan is an Rolls-Royce that's unlike the previous models. It's huge and extravagant, but it opens the brand up to an entirely new set of potential customers who'll drive it into places where other luxury SUVs might be reluctant to go. These could include Jackson Hole, Wyoming where the SUV is made.
From the side the vertical lines that flow from the front doors down through the raised bonnet edge and into the skid plate made of metal give a strong sense of the purpose of an SUV that's ready to conquer the world. The large wheels and slender silhouette of the roofline give it an impressive look, which conveys a strong character.
Rolls-Royce engineers have developed an original design for this vehicle that combines a luxurious interior with peerless off-road capabilities and uncompromising comfort. They have created a vehicle that is practical as well as iconic.
The passengers seated in the rear can enjoy spectacular views of their surroundings thanks to the large glass surface of the world's most renowned panoramic glass roof. And if they wish to find their current location around the globe they can just zero in on themselves using the rear touchscreen map.
The rear seat backs can fold down. This creates a large cargo space. A single press sees them effortlessly drop down without compromising the seat cushion. They can be divided into a 2/3 or 1/3 arrangement to increase the functionality of the car.
When they arrive The passengers are able to take a step into and out of their Rolls-Royce in complete comfort with their legs shielded from dirt thanks to a design that sees both front and rear coach doors tucked low beneath the sill. This not only allows passengers to enter the vehicle without smudging their pants 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 achievements with a whisky from the bottle holder that stows behind the front seats. And when they're ready for to rest, they can settle down in the heated and massaged rear seats, and relax with the the available neck- or shoulder-, as well as leg-rests.
The Glass Partition
The Cullinan with a base price of $325,000 is unlike any other vehicle that's ever left the Goodwood factory of Rolls-Royce in its 114-year-old heritage. It's not just that it has an all-wheel-drive system, but also a button marked "Off Road," and a usable ride height. (Rolls-Royce is an organization with a long history of vehicles for overland travel that date back to T.E. Lawrence's 1914 armored vehicle). This SUV was intended to be a vehicle for a family that was intended to be driven and not left with an individual chauffeur.
It's the first vehicle to feature a rear passenger compartment that is large enough to hold three passengers comfortably, while still leaving plenty of space for luggage. It has a variety of seating options that are incredibly comfortable, including rear-seat massaging chairs. The center console is also equipped with a champagne cooler and two Rolls-Royce champagne flutes and a whisky decanter.
However, it's the Spirit of Ecstasy that really makes this Rolls-Royce in a completely different class with the Range Rovers and Bentaygas that are competing for ultra-rich buyers' attention lately. The hood ornament is an ongoing reminder that the Cullinan isn't just your standard SUV.
I'm also impressed by the level of restraint Rolls-Royce has displayed in its cabin. While some manufacturers are saturating their cabins with layers of technology, Cullinan's center stack has an easy and clean display that looks similar to traditional gauges.
Box-grain leather is among the most notable changes to the previous Rolls-Royce models. This type of leather is made by pressing a metal frame into the hide and then applying lacquer, which results in an inky-black finish that's durable and more rugged than smooth leather found in other luxury cars.
The Cullinan is a sublime vehicle that combines all the attributes that make SUVs so coveted. However, it does have some disadvantages. It's absurd to spend that much money on an SUV, even if it's as well-equipped this one. If you're planning to purchase a Cullinan it's likely that you'll need to sell a couple pieces of art or cancel your summer in Nice.
