The Rolls-Royce Cullinan - super-luxury off-roader impresses
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan has been hailed as the most fun to drive super-luxury SUV that is currently available and the NAVIS team cannot disagree after spending time in it.
After waking early and a quick breakfast at our London apartment in Grosvenor House Suites by Jumeirah Living, the concierge called us to announce that our car had arrived. We packed our photo and video equipment quickly, and some clothes for the weekend in our Edison leather bag from Korchmar, and we headed down to meet the new Cullinan.
At the house entrance, there is a big and beautiful vehicle - the Rolls-Royce Cullinan stands out from other luxury cars delivering or picking guests up from the property; none can be compared with this new Rolls-Royce.
This is an incredible creation and the most practical of the Rolls-Royce range. The car delivers versatility so the passengers can enjoy the very best in luxury motoring regardless of the road surface.
We head off to The Cotswolds, just a little north of Swindon, and find the Cullinan is fantastic in all aspects. While Rolls-Royce cars deliver impeccable on-road behaviour, there will be potential owners wanting to drive a super-luxury car on less than perfect roads.
The new Cullinan has been taken all over the planet
Which is why the new Cullinan has been taken all over the planet and tested to destruction, so the ‘magic carpet ride’ will be impressive for off-road enjoyment – for those who would like to do so.
These off-roading abilities are enhanced by what is an SUV sector first with a three-box design. Essentially, the Cullinan has a rear partition glass wall that separates the passenger environment from the luggage compartment.
The Cullinan is also a family-orientated SUV that is great fun to drive and is the second Rolls-Royce creation to utilise the firm’s all-new aluminium architecture.
Authentic luxury off-road performer
There's no doubt that there have been high expectations for the new car, which is named after the largest diamond that has ever been discovered, to offer an authentic luxury off-road performer.
The other big attraction is that the Cullinan flies in the face of its SUV rivals and is designed to be a functional and contemporary design that will turn heads wherever it is driven. This is underpinned by the fact it will sprint from 0 to 62 mpg in an astonishing five seconds and then onto a top speed of 155 mph.
The impressive performance comes from a twin-turbocharged V-12 Rolls-Royce engine, the 6.75 litre unit generates 563 bhp and torque of 850 Nm.
The revs, which impress in the mid-range, combine well with an all-new, all-wheel drive system that will overcome any challenge the vehicle may encounter. The designers really have created a driving experience that creates an oasis of unbelievable luxury, the interior has exceptional design and workmanship levels cannot be matched.
The Rolls-Royce of SUVs
If you are looking for the Rolls-Royce of SUVs and one with usability and high-performance levels, then this is a super-luxury vehicle that will literally take you to the ends of the earth.
And while the driving position offers a great view of the road and the seats are unbelievably comfortable, for those getting into the rear the wide aperture doors make access very easy.
The floor is completely flat and by simply pressing a button, the doors will close and essentially seal the passengers into the sanctuary of the impressive cabin. When started, the car will rise to its commanding ride height to give a great view for everyone on board.
The heated and ventilated seats offer the perfect acclimatisation and for the driver, the smaller thicker steering wheel, which is also heated, delivers good feedback and the car performs well in all circumstances.
Remarkable detail grabbed our attention
It's also worth noting another remarkable detail that grabbed our attention and that is the back seat tables and infotainment system.
With a push of a button from the front seat, a table appears for the use of the guests in the rear seat and with one push more a large touchscreen appears where the passenger can interact with the whole system of the car, setting the superb audio system, up to setting off the GPS destinations and more.
Also between the two passenger seats, there is a console which, when opened displays the car's whisky set of a bottle and two crystal glasses. By pushing another button between the two seats, a fridge is revealed with a champagne bottle and two cold glasses.
There's also a touch-sensitive infotainment screen, a first for Rolls-Royce so the driver can select quickly various functions including the off-road settings, including the air suspension height adjustment and hill descent controls.
Indeed, Rolls-Royce says the Cullinan is the world’s most technologically advanced vehicle and features an impressive array of standard equipment including night vision, night-time wildlife and pedestrian warning and a four-camera system delivers a panoramic view plus there is active cruise control.
Test the famous ‘magic carpet’ ride
Our drive in the Cullinan took us through beautiful towns in The Cotswolds including Castle Combe and Bibury which have fantastic roads to test the famous ‘magic carpet’ ride. After testing several Rolls-Royce cars, we must declare that in the Cullinan the experience of the ride is superb, it really feels like the car is floating over the road.
The designers have also considered what the occupants will do when they arrive at a remote destination and since the doors wrap low under the car, there's no danger of dirtying trousers or dresses when leaving the vehicle. Even heading to Aspen or a shooting lodge may mean the final mile is along a dirt track but that’s not a problem for this car.
It’s the attention to detail of important issues such as this that will appeal to discerning owners who will enjoy an aluminium substructure to deliver excellent performance over rough terrain – with a better ride comfort than any other SUV rival. The vehicle also has a wading depth of 540 mm which no other luxury SUVs can match.
The Roll-Royce Cullinan’s impeccable air suspension
So, regardless of the terrain, whether it is deep snow, sand, mud or gravel, the off-road settings for the Roll-Royce Cullinan’s impeccable air suspension enable the super sleek car to glide over any situation.
Overall, if we had to choose a comfortable car for traveling then the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is it; from the silence of the cabin to the climate control system and also the infotainment system - this is a peerless creation.
Another element that impressed was the alarms system. Usually, alarms are loud and they sound as soon as they detect something. In the Cullinan sometimes we felt that they weren’t working so we decided to take a quick test and very slowly while driving an empty road, we passed very close to an obstacle, no alarms were triggered but the car completely stopped and didn’t allow us to complete such a risky maneuver.
Cullinan has cameras all around
The Cullinan has cameras all around, even inside the doors that help to generate a 3D virtual representation of the vehicle with its surroundings so you can 'fly' the camera around the car to detect potential obstacles. Also, the doors only open if they have space to do so it is impossible to scratch a neighboring car with your door (and this is a big vehicle).
To finish our incredible experience with Rolls-Royce, we were invited to visit the factory in Goodwood. This took place two days after returning the Cullinan and a professional Rolls-Royce driver passed by the Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London, to drive us through beautiful country towns until we reached the Rolls-Royce factory for an unforgettable tour. This visit will be covered in NAVIS Magazine soon.
For a super-luxury car offering unparalleled comfort, the Cullinan offers owners unbeatable performance and the opportunity to enjoy a cabin that delivers palatial luxury in abundance. This is a car that oozes inspiration, confidence and style – Rolls-Royce has truly surpassed themselves.
