Cullinan – the Rolls-Royce of SUVs and the brand’s first high-bodied, all-wheel drive car – has been unveiled at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Sydney; it’s named after the largest diamond ever discovered, which now resides in the British Crown Jewels.
The Spirit of Ecstasy adorns the Cullinan.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars last year enjoyed its highest year of registrations in Australia, driven by demand for pinnacle luxury products like Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and recently, the new Phantom across its dealerships in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast. In particular, the Black Badge range has proven attractive to a new demographic of younger buyers.
Globally Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has enjoyed a strong start to 2018, with the marque seeing a significant boost to global sales. Worldwide sales were up 13 per cent compared with the same period in 2017, with demand for all Rolls-Royce models holding firm in Europe, the US and other key regions. The first customer deliveries for Cullinan are due early next year and order books are exceptionally strong.
Ms. Heike Caroline Krismer Total Vehicle Project Leader for the Cullinan. Photo by Roll-Royce Motor Cars.
The Total Vehicle Project Leader behind the Cullinan is Ms. Heike Caroline Krismer. Caroline began her journey in the industry at Magna Steyr International, before accruing more than two decades of experience working across a variety of luxury and performance car brands. She now uses her expertise in tri-lingual communications, and team leadership and organisation in her position as Engineering Project Leader for Cullinan, the Rolls-Royce of SUVs.
Caroline oversees total engineering development of the programme, including costs, quality, and technical ability; she defines the vehicle in terms of technical content and features, and ensures that the engineering team fulfils the promise of making Cullinan the Rolls-Royce that is Effortless, Everywhere.
The integration of new technologies into the architecture was key to ensuring the fundamental quality of Cullinan as Effortless, Everywhere. The engineering team began by creating a drivetrain that would bring Rolls-Royce’s famous ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ off-road.
“The drivetrain system we engineered for Cullinan had one key job to do,” explains Caroline Krismer. “To bring the famed Rolls-Royce ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ to all other terrains possible, while ensuring class-leading on-road behaviour in the SUV sector.”
Effortless, Everywhere is available with the press of a single button on the centre console. Once engaged, Cullinan’s driver can choose from multiple off-road settings to glide over rough track, gravel, wet grass, mud, snow or sand whilst delivering 850Nm of torque to all four wheels without interruption. Cullinan can negotiate deep snow, sand or streams, with one of the deepest wading depths of any super-luxury SUV at 540mm with the assistance of the air suspension system at top ride height.
Off-road, the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system uses an air compression system to actively push down any wheel that loses traction; ensuring maximum grip and torque are delivered, no matter what the condition. In the words of Caroline Krismer: “Put simply, what makes the car great on-road makes the car great off-road.”
The 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 Rolls-Royce engine.
Cullinan is powered by Rolls-Royce’s new 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 Rolls-Royce engine delivering 420kW/563bhp and 850Nm/627lb ft. of torque at only 1,600rpm to a new all-wheel drive, all-wheel steer system. The V12 hauls the 2,660kg from 0-100km/h in just 5.1 seconds!
Cullinan’s height of 1,836mm is sculpted by a fastback roofline that drops away to a sweeping rear glass, ending in an elegantly protruding boot lid, the total length of the car is 5,341mm. The help you navigate this hefty SUV the Cullinan is equipment with Cross Traffic Warning; Collision Warning; Rear End Collision Warning; Active Guard; and Lane Departure Warning.
Individual rear seats in the Cullinan presented in Sydney. Photo by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
Cullinan’s cabin can be commissioned in two formats – Lounge Seats or Individual Seats. The former caters for families – creating space for three passengers in the rear, and featuring fold down seats for the first time in a Rolls-Royce. The Individual Seat configuration implies supreme luxury with two individual rear seats separated by a Fixed Rear Centre Console. This incorporates a drinks cabinet with Rolls-Royce whisky glasses and decanter, champagne flutes and refrigerator. The seats also move in a number of planes to offer ultimate comfort whilst travelling in the rear.
The glass partition separating the cabin and boot.
Rolls-Royce’s Pavilion Seating means rear passengers sit higher than their counterparts at the front and these are accessed by coach doors. Grandstand views are assured by the high body, large glazed side windows and panoramic glass roof. Unique to the super luxury SUV sector, Cullinan (in Individual Seat format) incorporates a glass partition that isolates the passenger cabin from the luggage compartment, creating a silent sanctuary for Cullinan’s occupants. In keeping with Australia’s four season climate, the sealed cabin also means Rolls-Royce clients can remain at the optimum temperature even when the luggage compartment is open.
The rear compartment or boot area offers a standard 560 litres of space, growing to 600 litres with the parcel shelf removed in the Lounge Seat configuration. Also in this format a loading length of 2245mm and load capacity of 1930 litres accessed by folding the rear seats flat and electronically raising the boot floor to meet the seat base. Once all the seats are folded, the loading length and volume in Cullinan is one of the largest in the super luxury SUV segment.
The Cullinan dash. Photo by Roll-Royce Motor Cars.
The central information screen is for the first time touch sensitive, allowing the driver to quickly select functions, map views and vehicle set-up whilst on the trail. This portal can still be controlled from the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy controller which nestles on the central console – for the first time now also equipped with an effortless ‘Off-Road’ button for activating the car’s off-road capabilities.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan boasts some of the best technology in its segment, including Laser Headlights (600m range); Night Vision (300m), Vision Assist (1,000m – oncoming vehicles), daytime and night-time Wildlife & Pedestrian warning; Alertness Assistant; a 4-Camera system with Panoramic View, all-round visibility and helicopter view; Active Cruise Control; Collision Warning; an industry leading 7×3 High-Resolution Head-Up Display, Wi-Fi hotspot, and the latest Navigation and Entertainment Systems. The cabin is equipped with no less than five USB-C ports, whilst phones can be wirelessly charged in the front of the cabin.
There are raft of safety features that will help keep your Cullinan on the straight and narrow including Dynamic Stability Control; Antilock Brake Systems; Cornering Brake Control; Automatic Stability Control; Dynamic Brake Control; Dynamic Traction Control; Brake Standby; Limit Range Feedback (EPS); Wipe Dry-Function: Fading Assist; Drive-off Assistant; Automatic Hold; Yaw moment compensation/yaw-rate control; rear axle slip angle control; Performance Control (dynamic handling brake intervention; Cornering Traction Control); and Dynamic Handling Total Drive Torque Intervention.
Rear Theatre in the back of the Cullinan.
True to form, Cullinan offers a suite of Bespoke features developed specifically for the multitude of its owners’ lifestyles including the Viewing Suite and the Recreation Module. The starting point: 32 exterior paints, 18 leather colours, 8 veneers, 9 carpet colours and 4 different versions of the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy, extending to over 44,000 exterior colours when commissioned in partnership with the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Department.
Cullinan brings full circle Rolls-Royce’s involvement in Australia’s history – in past years being used over rough terrain by farmers due to the brand’s fabled engineering excellence to assisting in the construction of the Alice Springs airport. Australia has always been a part of Rolls-Royce’s heritage and vice-versa.
Prices for the Cullinan start from $AUD 685,000 driveaway, but as each Rolls-Royce Cullinan is Bespoke; pricing is dependent on customer specification. Contact you nearest Roll-Royce dealer for more information.
Every umbrella is custom designed to match your Roll-Royce and the umbrella holding slot is heated so your umbrella doesn’t go mouldy. Photo by Roll-Royce Motor Cars.