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Rolls-Royce Cullinan revealed: Ultra-luxury SUV is so British, it curtsies

Why did we ever expect the Rolls-Royce Cullinan to look like anything other than a Phantom on a lift kit, minus the trunk? The Rolls-Royce of SUVs perfectly employs Phantom cues, from the raised hood to the strong shoulder line and coach doors. The English off-roader brings a bunch of brand-redefining firsts with it, including all-wheel drive, an off-road driving mode, and a suspension that actively extends the dampers to keep every wheel on the ground. All of the vehicle's innovations serve the tagline that will help sell the Cullinan to wealthy owners: "Effortless, Everywhere." View 30 Photos The Cullinan stretches 210 inches long on a 130-inch wheelbase, 17.2 inches shorter overall than a Phantom on a wheelbase 9.8 inches shorter. However, the SUV is 5.6 inches wider than the sedan and its roof stands 7.2 inches higher. Built around the same all-aluminum Architecture of Luxury as the Phantom, the extra bits that make the Cullinan ready for dirty work add just 200 pounds compared to the car, for a curb weight of 5,864 pounds. The 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 (Rolls-Royce still refers to it as a 6.75-liter) produces 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, matching the Phantom's horsepower but losing 37 lb-ft of torque. However, the remaining torque comes 100 rpm sooner in the Cullinan than in the Phantom. Rolls-Royce whipped up another narrative trick to keep the Cullinan from being associated with the two-box SUV herd, calling it "the first 'three-box' offer in the SUV sector." With only two boxes visible from outside, we assume Rolls-Royce refers to the available glass partition in the cabin separating the seating area from the cargo, for Cullinans equipped with individual second-row seats. That would make for three distinct areas, and serve as a "nod to the era when luggage was mounted on the exterior of the motor-car, so the occupants did not travel with their belongings." Speaking of which, the feature we normally call a "tailgate" is called "the Clasp" on the Cullinan, a reference to when drivers put luggage on the outside of the car. The electrically operated two-piece hatch has a narrow lower section that folds down to help support the electronic drawer in the Recreation Module. The module provides custom designed storage for tools suitable to an owner's hobbies, like hawking, hunting, or drone racing, or it can stow the seats and cocktail table for the Rolls-Royce Viewing Suite. The Cullinan earns its chops in the cabin and under the skin.

Rolls-Royce gets down to testing new aluminum architecture

Rolls-Royce is preparing to step – or serenely glide – into modernity. It has a new aluminum architecture under development that's set to underpin all its future products. And now it's giving us a taste of what's to come. Goodwood first announced the new platform in February when it revealed intentions to build its first SUV. Now it's saying the architecture won't just underpin the crossover known tentatively as Project Cullinan – it'll form the basis of every model it makes from 2018 onwards. Rolls is already testing the new platform with mules like the one pictured above. The vehicle would appear to be a Phantom behind a mask, but the way that Rolls has disguised the rear end of the prototype tells us it might be wearing a more wagon-like roofline, the likes of which we'd expect to see on the crossover when it arrives. The company's also been testing its first all-wheel drive system for the same project with another type of test mule entirely. Once Project Cullinan is complete, Goodwood's first SUV will launch into a market filled with high-end products. Porsche is firmly established in the sector, and Range Rover is making ever-more expensive models. Soon Bentley, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Maserati, and Lamborghini will also join the fray, but the Rolls-Royce will likely be the most expensive and most luxurious of them all. ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS ANNOUNCES FUTURE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENTS In February 2015, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced the development of an all-new aluminium space-frame architecture that will underpin all future Rolls-Royce models arriving in market from early 2018. The company today announced that it has begun the testing phase of this new architecture, with early preparatory activity seeing new engineering mules tested in public around the world. The Architecture of Pure Luxury The future of pure luxury motoring is already taking shape as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars begins testing its new aluminium space-frame architecture which will underpin all future Rolls-Royce model lines. The architecture will arrive in market from early 2018. Engineering mules will be assessed on public roads in various locations around the world. The current testing phase aims to ensure that the new space-frame structure perfectly delivers Rolls-Royce's trademark 'magic-carpet ride' on a variety of surfaces and that it is resilient to extreme weather conditions.

2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended is a lavish living room on wheels

Rolls-Royce made the second-generation Ghost about 3.5 inches longer than its predecessor. If that's not enough, the British firm just unveiled a long-wheelbase variant named Extended that gains another seven inches. Company boss Torsten Muller-Otvos explained the Ghost Extended was developed for customers who want to be driven during the week, but who prefer to drive themselves on the weekend. His team's challenge was to carve out more space for the rear passengers without compromising the sedan's handling, or significantly altering its proportions. To that end, stylists extended only the rear doors and the sheetmetal around them. Rolls-Royce hasn't released images of the front part of the cabin; it's what's out back that counts. Business-class-like individual Serenity Seats are offered at an extra cost (even the ultra-rich have to tick option boxes), and the BMW-owned company proudly noted it allocated a spectacular amount of resources to developing the perfect in-car champagne cooler. Nestled between the rear seats, it has two operating modes: it chills non-vintage champagne to precisely 6 degrees Celsius, and vintage champagne to exactly 11 degrees. Rear-seat passengers can sit back, sip Dom Perignon Rose that costs as much as a Nissan Sentra, and enjoy more legroom than many people have in their living room. Only the Phantom Extended offers a more spacious cabin, the firm claims. Alternatively, they can work on-the-move thanks in part to the in-car Wi-Fi hotspot. Rolls-Royce made no mechanical changes, meaning the Extended uses the same 6.75-liter V12 as the standard-wheelbase model. It's twin-turbocharged to 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, and it spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel steering comes standard, and one of the most advanced suspension systems in the world ensures the Ghost delivers the Magic Carpet Ride buyers expect. Ghost Extended deliveries will begin during the fourth quarter of 2020. Rolls-Royce hasn't announced pricing information, but the sedan likely costs over $350,000 before options — and champagne — are factored in. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Extended, official images View 10 Photos Rolls-Royce Luxury Sedan