“Tested to destruction” all over the planet, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan finally brings real luxury to the off-road experience and is primed to be one of many highlights of the Luxury & Supercar Showcase. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan will be featured at the 2018 Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase, bringing most attendees their first look at the automaker’s blend of luxury and off-road travel.
While it may not be the first luxury brand to include an SUV in its lineup, Rolls-Royce is determined to have the best one, and its name is Cullinan. This is Rolls-Royce as it’s never been seen before. When Sir Henry Royce said, “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it”, he may have had the Cullinan in mind.
Rolls-Royce has introduced an all-terrain, high-bodied car that makes the idea of authentic, luxury off-road travel a reality for the first time. Luxury travel is now effortless and everywhere.
Twelve Cylinders & a Whole Lot of Tech
Rolls-Royce has a history of genuine off-road credentials. In the early 20th century, Rolls-Royce vehicles quickly developed a reputation for reliability and durability in extreme conditions. Maharajas in India drove Rolls-Royces along rough and rugged dirt roads — as did wealthy sheep farmers through the Australian terrain. Lawrence of Arabia commanded a fleet of nine Rolls-Royces in the Sinai Desert during World War I, six of them bodied as armored cars. So an off-road SUV may have always been in the automaker’s natural progression.
Under the Cullinan’s hood is a 6.75 liter, twin-turbo V12 pushing out 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. This is the same engine Rolls-Royce uses for its iconic Phantom, which also shares the SUV’s aluminum-intensive platform. The famous “magic air ride” feel that rendered the Phantom peerless has also been re-engineered by adding larger air struts with greater air volume, and by strengthening the drive and prop shafts to cushion blows from the toughest terrain.
Featuring all-new, all-wheel drive and an all-wheel steering system — the first in Rolls-Royce history — the Cullinan reaches a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
Inside, Rolls-Royce unveils a new, thicker steering wheel for the Cullinan, augmented with a high-resolution, heads-up display and all the expected technology from the luxury giant: night vision, including wildlife and pedestrian warning, a four-camera parking system with panoramic and helicopter view, active cruise control, myriad crash-avoidance systems, Wi-Fi, and the standard navigation and entertainment systems. The first “three-box” car in the SUV-sector, Cullinan’s rear partition wall separates passengers from the luggage compartment to create a unique comfort and luxury environment.
The Final Challenge
In a series of online videos, the Rolls-Royce teamed with National Geographic to debut the Cullinan’s capabilities. The episodes document the vehicle conquering three continents and 12,000 miles of the world’s toughest terrain — including deserts, mountains, and tundra — and navigating the roughest conditions with ease.
Breathtaking camera work showcases the vehicle’s unique Rolls-Royce aluminum space frame, rear-axle steering and all-wheel drive making smooth work of each “extreme” terrain. Check out more information on the final challenge here, or view the full episodes here.
Simply Put — It’s Pronounced
The imposing frame of the Cullinan stands six feet off the ground—four inches taller than its closest competitor — the Bentayga — and more than 500 pounds heavier. Contemporary and functional design ensures the Cullinan will gain iconic status in the face of increasingly bland SUV designs.
Approach the Cullinan and it lowers roughly 1.5 inches for easy entry, rising back to normal position upon startup. The air suspension has adaptive damping and was built specifically with a degree of off-road luxury in mind — but a Rolls-Royce kind of off-roading, with a spotlight on smooth transitions. A lone off-road button is all it takes to prep the vehicle for whatever terrain you can throw at it, and it will even ford over 21 inches of water if needed.