Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV Revealed — Rivals The Bentley Bentayga W12

Several prototypes of the Rolls-Royce Phantom-based SUV have surfaced on the internet in recent times. Now that Rolls-Royce has officially introduced their unique product to the world, here's everything you need to know about the Cullinan!

Starting with the design, the front-end looks identical to the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The stainless-steel pantheon grille continues to be the dominant design element. It is flanked by the minimal, yet advanced, LED headlamps. Subtle chrome elements on the front bumper further add to the elegance while the Spirit of Ecstasy flies high above.

The five-seater Cullinan rides on a set of massive 22-inch wheels. Other wheel designs and sizes can also be opted by the customer. Being a Rolls-Royce, the degree of customisation available doesn't have any barriers.

The Cullinan makes use of the brand's 'Architecture of Luxury' aluminium platform, which is also the basefor the latest generation Rolls-Royce Phantom.

The side-profile of the Cullinan has got perhaps the strongest shoulder line ever seen on an SUV. Chrome details embrace the windows, cover the handles and support the door sills. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is also the first modern-SUV to get suicide doors.

At the rear, the Cullinan features a unique tail design similar to the ‘D-Back' Rolls-Royce models from the 1930s. These models had a separate luggage compartment at the back. The design cue has given the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a boot space of more than 600 litres.

Inside, the SUV can be customised with a range of exquisite materials. Compared to other Rolls-Royce models, the Cullinan gets a more modern design for the interiors. There is neither a compromise on material quality nor a lack of advanced technology. The SUV gets all the quirks, bits and bobs seen in a Rolls-Royce.

The five-seater Cullinan can be made a four-seater with the ‘Individual Seat' configuration. The option improves the rear-seat comfort and entertainment by a huge leap.

But the best party-trick in the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is the optional Viewing Suite package. The option adds two seats in the trunk area along with a cocktail table in between where you can sit and think how successful you've become in life. The whole unit extends from the rear with a button's touch.

Coming to the engine, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan gets the same 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 petrol unit from the Phantom, but retuned. The power plant makes 571bhp and 650Nm of torque, available from as low as 1600rpm. The mammoth SUV has an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h.

This is also the first time a Rolls-Royce is getting all-wheel-drive. Due to this addition, the Cullinan gets a dedicated ‘Off-Road' button to take on all kinds of terrain. The proven air-suspension unit of Rolls-Royce ensures that the Cullinan offers ‘Magic Carpet' ride-quality on all terrains.

With the Bentley Bentayga as the arch-rival, the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan is expected to showcase a lot more. The company slots the Cullinan in between the Phantom and the Ghost. This means we can expect a price of between Rs 5 to 8 crore ex-showroom, once it is launched in India, later this year.

Thoughts On The Rolls-Royce Cullinan

With the new Cullinan, Rolls-Royce too has joined the SUV-game between luxury car manufacturers. The Cullinan, being a Rolls-Royce, will offer benchmarking levels of luxury and comfort. Again, the Cullinan being an SUV, should offer high levels of off-roading capabilities too.

But we do not expect all Cullinans to go over rocks or pave through sand. Most of its users will only use it as an ultra-luxury way of road transport.