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Rolls-Royce Cullinan test car takes the wheel — from a BMW 3 Series

The biggest, baddest Rolls-Royce will soon be here. We've seen spy shots the new Cullinan for months, but this is our first look at the SUV's interior. Though much of it is still covered, we can make out a few details hiding beneath the surface. There's no word on when the new Rolls will hit the streets, but look for a debut sometime this auto show season. At first glance, there seems to be a lot of parts taken straight from a BMW parts bin. BMW owns Rolls, so this shouldn't be too much of a surprise. Still, it's disappointing to see the steering wheel from a 3 Series in place of the handsome, thin-rimmed wheels you usually find in a Rolls-Royce. That said, this could simply be a temporary solution while the car undergoes development. The rest looks a lot like the new Phantom. This includes the digital instrument cluster and various switches and knobs. There really isn't anything new we can glean from the Cullinan's exterior. We've seen this all before. The rear doors are of particular note as they each appear to have two door handles. Look closely and you can see a regular one in the back and what appears to be another up front. The latter suggests it may have suicide doors, though it may simply be a trim piece meant to simulate that iconic Rolls feature. We'll have to wait for the full debut to find out more. Related Video: Featured Gallery Rolls Royce Cullinan Spy Shots View 12 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Rolls-Royce SUV Luxury

Artists reinterpret Rolls-Royce scale models for charity

Everyone loves toy cars. Even artists, apparently. And even if they toys in question are higher-end "scale models" of high-end cars like Rolls-Royces. The British automaker recently assembled a dozen contemporary artists to render their individual creative interpretations based on 1:18 scale models of the Rolls-Royce Ghost. They'll be displayed at a showroom in the center of London before being auctioned off to raise funds for breast cancer. The resulting creations came out pretty interesting, ranging from a Rolls-based, Back to the Future-style time machine to another grown over with moss and mushrooms. One of the artists, Charming Baker, suspended his model in a resin block and drilled it through fourteen times to represent how breast cancer can affect us all. If you happen to wander by Berkeley Square in the British capital any time before the end of June, it may be worth stopping in to have a look. But if your plans won't be taking you to London this summer, you can check them out in the slideshow above. Maybe you'll see something you like a place a bid. It's all for a good cause. Related Video: ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST TRANSFORMED BY LEADING ARTISTS FOR BREAST CANCER CARE Twelve leading artists have created unique artworks, each featuring a 1:18 scale replica of the iconic Rolls-Royce Ghost, for a one-of-a-kind collection. These spectacular artworks, donated by some of the biggest names in contemporary art, will be on show from 20-25 May 2015 at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London in Berkeley Square to raise valuable funds for Breast Cancer Care. The model motor car has been transformed to create an extraordinary collection of one-off art pieces, created by artists including: Maggi Hambling, Richard Wentworth, Gavin Turk, Mark Wallinger, JJ Adams, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Charming Baker, Natasha Law, Angela Palmer, Andrew Salgado, Stuart Semple and Yinka Shonibare. London artist Charming Baker, known for his emotionally charged work, explains the thinking behind his artwork, 'One in Eight'. "It is important to me that the work I produce for this brief is relevant to the subject matter we're dealing with. One in eight women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. So I have set the car in a clear block of resin, suspended in the middle of the block – floating, pristine. The block has been drilled 16 times, in a very orderly and simple grid pattern.

Giles Taylor succeeds Ian Cameron as head of Rolls-Royce design

Back in the day, a Rolls-Royce looked pretty much the same as a Bentley, but with a different grille. Once BMW took over Rolls-Royce, however, it was faced with the challenge of visually separating itself from its former sister brand. And most would agree that it did so pretty well. But its cars have looked pretty much the same ever since. What Rolls-Royce needs, then, is a bit of a design shake-up. And that's just what this latest appointment could bring.
After a baker's dozen years as design director at Rolls-Royce (and twenty years designing for the BMW Group altogether), Ian Cameron is retiring from his post. In his place, Rolls-Royce has named Giles Taylor as its new director of design. In his new capacity, Taylor will report directly to BMW Group chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk, and be responsible for all design matters related to the Rolls-Royce brand and its products.
Taylor was promoted to the role from his previous position as head of exterior design for the marque, a position he's held for barely more than a year. We'll be eagerly watching to see what the veteran British car designer has in store for the future of Rolls-Royce. In the meantime you can read the full announcement below.