Yahoo Autos 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan: The Hyperluxury SUV to Rule Them All
What It Is: Rolls-Royce’s answer to the Bentley Bentayga, set to arrive at the party fashionably late but likely to steal all the attention when it does. The Cullinan name was inspired by a giant diamond.
Why It Matters: Though the company’s sedans and coupes are doing well, the folks in Goodwood realize that the superrich want SUVs. Bentley says that it has sold 50 percent of its Bentaygas to people new to the brand, and the Cullinan is likely to do the same for Rolls.
Platform: Like the new Phantom, the Cullinan sits on R-R’s so-called Architecture of Luxury, a pompously named aluminum structure that creates some clear engineering space over the top-flight BMW models on which smaller Rollers are based. It also can be had with what the company calls a Viewing Suite-two seats that slide out of the back for outdoor spectating but are more likely to be used as a place to put on your wellies.
Powertrain: A version of the new Phantom’s twin-turbo 6.7-liter V-12 with 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque that works in conjunction with an all-wheel-drive system. The company is also working on EV drivetrains; the Cullinan’s raised floor should make housing a large battery pack easy.
Competition: Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Land Rover Range Rover SVAutobiography, and the rumored Ferrari SUV. Or the Tibetan mastiff that guy in China bought for $1.9 million.
What Might Go Wrong: China’s discouragement of superconspicuous consumption could blow some icy winds over this segment.
Estimated Arrival and Price: Late this year, and we’re told it will undercut the $500,000 Phantom EWB but outprice the $236,000 Bentayga. So $325,000 plus, and that’s before you ask for monogrammed chinchilla-fur upholstery.
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