Thursday 27th July 2017

Rolls-Royce Cullinan on the 'ring!

Because where else to test your super luxury SUV?

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On the list of cars you wouldn't expect to see at the Nurburgring, a Rolls-Royce SUV has to be up there with the Citroen AX diesel and the, er, Lamborghini SUV. Guess that's the world we live in. But regardless of location, this is our best look yet at the Cullinan, so here goes.

Definitely, a Rolls-Royce, isn't it? While still heavily disguised there are some very clear cues familiar from elsewhere, including that very prominent grille, small rectangular headlights and the doors that will open outwards from the B-pillar. This is not some curvaceous, slinky SUV either, but a big and bluff 4x4 in the more traditional Range Rover mould. It's one taken on by the Bentayga as well, of course, likely to be the Cullinan's closest rival.

For now, we'll say the back of the car isn't quite done, what with the odd lights, pinched rear screen and heavy disguise. Will it follow the design themes introduced with the Ghost family of cars? Or start off on a new path? All theories and views welcome!

What can be in doubt from here is just how committed the test driver is, the Cullinan lent right over on its springs at Brunnchen 1; look at that front inside wheel too! We've even got driver and passenger helmet lean...

Lord knows what a Rolls-Royce Cullinan might do around the Nordschleife, but it would surely be some spectacle to watch. Has Rolls-Royce ever issued a lap time before? What engine would it use? Is there an optional track focused tyre?!

Lots of questions, both serious and otherwise, still need to be answered then. Expect more details after the summer, once we get back into the swing of motor shows again.

Photos: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

 

[Fetchez la vache]

To be honest I'd have thought the issue of how it drives round the ring is less of a problem for the engineers, than the problem of not making it look like a Victorian terraced house is for the designers...

[LaurasOtherHalf]

What is it based on (as in what other car's underpinnings are used)?

[Ares]

Can't wait to see this.

Always got a real soft spot for proper big SUVs, add in RR luxury and it going to road based luxury liner.

It'll be hated, and the looks are likely going to subjective, verging on awful, but you can beat a big chunk of metal.


We always hire a Full Size XL SUV Stateside. Love them (for 2 weeks....)

[Rick1.8t]

I have always said that if I 'won the lottery' I would waft around in a Rolls - Of course the majority of people on the road would hate you but thats almost half of the appeal and I cant imagine a more comfortable albeit nobbish way of getting around.

This thing though, It makes current vulgar look classy but then I imagine its a funny old world inside the mind of the kind of person that can afford and would want one of these anyway - it will be a great seller I am sure.

My only thought is, what happens when the electric 'ban' hits in 20 years, how many batteries will a 3000kg car need provide a decent range and performance?

[EggsBenedict]

What a horrible thing. Hideous. Super posh X5.

Rolls Royce Cars: Owned by Germans, made in UK (maybe), given an Irish name, sold to Arabs, Russians and the Chinese

The embodiment of the character "Considerably richer than yow" in car form.

Fire seems to be the only sensible course of action here.

[SloaneSquare]

And the difference is.........Around £200,000!

[NDA]

I was expecting the Pope to pop out.

[Mike1990]

The size of that! Looks huge!

[Ares]

EggsBenedict said:

What a horrible thing. Hideous. Super posh X5.

Rolls Royce Cars: Owned by Germans, made in UK (maybe), given an Irish name, sold to Arabs, Russians and the Chinese

The embodiment of the character "Considerably richer than yow" in car form.

Fire seems to be the only sensible course of action here.

Yes. Please someone take Rolls Royce back to being st again.

[northwest monkey]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

What is it based on (as in what other car's underpinnings are used)?

The QE2 by the look of it.

[seefarr]

What's with the names of these hideously blingy behemoths - Bentley Bentgaya and Rolls Cullinangus? Really?

[K50 DEL]

Surely you mean "What cannot be in doubt" don't you?

I see images of the car being driven hard so there's no doubt it my mind.

[huckster6]

Time for PH to allow minus votes. This is just terrible.

[Quickmoose]

A completely obvious product range for Rolls imo.
What I really REALLY hope is that it doesn't end up being a beautifully built, ultimate luxury, vehicle which has the aesthetics of a cardboard box.
Camouflage accepted, I'm already a bit worried. They need more than a bit of style to go with the brutish "get out of my way peasant" size and scale.
Bentley screwed it right up....lets see if Rolls can get it right...

[rodericb]

SloaneSquare said:

And the difference is.........Around £200,000!

Ha ha, beat me to the comparison....

[Wolands Advocate]

rodericb said:

SloaneSquare said:

And the difference is.........Around £200,000!

Ha ha, beat me to the comparison....

Likewise - though I was thinking Metrocab...

[import4fun]

Shame it's not April 1st, as I'm sure it's a London cab in disguise. Hong Kong hotels will love it.

[GiveItSomeWellie]

Nice to see a sufficient amount of lean in the corners.

I hated the Bentayga when it came out, but it's slowly growing on me. Hoping this is the same.

[cookie1600]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

What is it based on (as in what other car's underpinnings are used)?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenger_2

[J4CKO]

I kind of love it, and that it exists but you just know that even vicars and nice old ladies will be involuntarily mouthing the C word under their breath.

Its the kind of car that really only works in contexts of Monaco, London, HK as mentioned, Dubai and places like that, in Stoke on a grey afternoon in November it will just look wrong.