HARD HITTER
take on adventurous terrain such as mud, sand and mountain. “We already had the resources and platforms to build a four-wheel drive Rolls-royce that would be able to go off-road, so the Cullinan is really a natural extension of the brand,” said Taylor.
Taking its name from the largest rough diamond ever found, the Cullinan sits on the same all-aluminium Architecture of Luxury spaceframe as Rolls-royce’s new-generation Phantom, but its purpose goes beyond providing the marque’s classic magic carpet ride. Tough, versatile and practical—these words are entering the Rolls-royce lexicon for the first time—“the Cullinan brings you to your end destination effortlessly and with a sense of elegance, whether it’s up a mountain or to the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival”, said Taylor. And it will get you there fast, with a 6.75L twin-turbocharged V12 engine producing 563bhp under its hood. In terms of aesthetics, the car’s toughness is shown in the bold lines that define its exterior, from the strong brow that runs across the top of its large pantheon grille to the prominent lines that cut and give shape to its distinctive rear. Part of the Cullinan’s practicality as a car is also its desire to be family-friendly. For
“We didn’t treat the Cullinan as a brute utility vehicle to build. It’s simply a Rolls-royce that sits higher and is more usable—a high-bodied limousine”
that, we would like to bring your attention to one of our favourite features of the car— the rear, where a motorised drawer dubbed the Recreation Module sits unobtrusively in the trunk until it is called upon. It is large and spacious enough to store the equipment needed for a variety of hobbies that a family might have, from parascending to drone photography. Alternatively, you could opt to fix the Module with the Cullinan Viewing Suite, which emerges as two rear-facing leather seats flanking a cocktail table at the touch of a button. Classy. Without the Module, which is an optional feature for the car, the floor of the trunk can be raised so you can load in longer items such as your fishing gear. Besides tailoring to the diverse interests of a family, the car also ensures the utmost comfort of its passengers. This includes the possibility of having a three-person lounge seat for rear passengers instead of the standard two. Moreover, its coach doors make entering the SUV a breeze as the car automatically lowers itself by 40mm as soon as it is unlocked. Even as the Cullinan takes on new terrain for Rolls-royce, and fills a gap in the market for those who seek a functional yet ultra-luxurious workhorse, the car still very much embodies the marque’s identity. As Taylor said: “We didn’t treat the Cullinan as a brute utility vehicle to build. It’s simply a Rolls-royce that sits higher and is more usable—a high-bodied limousine.”