Rolls-Royce’s posh new Cullinan vies for the title of ‘king of SUVs’
Cullinan 4x4 borrows the mechanical bits of the latest Phantom limo in a bid to topple the Bentley Bentayga.
Those looks should stir controversy… After talking ab out building an SUV three years ago, Rolls- Royce has finally taken the wraps off its Bentayga-fighter.
Called Cullinan, Rolls-Royce firstever 4x4 adopts the aluminium body architecture, rear forward-facing doors and super-luxurious cabin concept from the Phantom 8 fourdoor limo. And, yes, the Cullinan sports a very upright stance that could be stirring some chatter in the same vein as when the Bentley Bentayga was launched two years ago.
With an overall length and wheelbase measuring some 5.3 metres and 3.3 metres respectively, the Cullinan is a huge SUV that tips the scales at 2,660kg.
To make it liveable to some extent, the boot can open in a split manner. Apart from the 2+ 2 configuration seen here in official pictures, the Cullinan also has a three- seat bench in the rear to attract families.
Does it get V12 power?
Certainly, as Rolls-Royce is aiming to make the Cullinan the new king of
SUVs. The 6.75-litre twinturbo V12 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission come from the Phantom, but the fourwheel-drive system is new.
Outputs in the Cullinan are rated at 571hp at 5,000rpm and 850Nm at 1,600rpm. Although Rolls-Royce says the top speed is limited to 250kph, it hasn’t mentioned the 0-100kph time.
According to Bentley, the Bentayga W12 has figures of 301kph and 4.1 seconds. This means that it’s fairly safe to suggest that the Cullinan can cover the sprint in under five seconds.
Can it go off-road?
Rolls-Royce says so, because an SUV needs to get its hands dirty from time to time. The brand claims that the lack of low-range gears is offset by the huge amount of torque generated at low engine speeds.
Rolls-Royce is keen to point out that the Cullinan is the most refined SUV, be it on- or off-road. But we’d still reckon that potential owners would not veer off the sealed tarmac, especially in a car costing way over 30 million baht in Thailand. Nor should they be bothered by the Cullinan’s 6.7kpl fuel consumption.
Although the Cullinan will be dearer than the Bentayga and top-end Range Rover models when sales start in the second half of this year, the 4x4 promises to be filled with an extensive list of features and sumptuous materials to justify its position as the world’s most luxurious SUV.
Rolls- Royce is aiming to make the Cullinan the new king of SUVs.