Rolls Royce to produce an SUV - Cullinan

[AudiMan2011]

Yes, Rolls Royce is effectively following Bentley into the mega-money posh SUV market with it's first 4x4 code-named Cullinan. They've released official pictures of a test mule which uses a cut-and-shut Phantom body to hide the chassis development.

Is this a good idea? Or should Rolls stick to the models they know best?

http://www.carscoops.com/2015/04/rolls-royce-project-cullinan-is-test.html

 

[Legro]

Look at that spoiler.

 

[Stotty]

Natural progression of the range. Will do VERY well in the Middle East, China and Russia.

RR are on a roll (no pun intended) at the moment.

Render is rubbish though - usual lazy Autocar/Auto Express. It will need to be far more imposing than that.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I hope it looks regal. I've yet to see an SUV besides maybe the Range Rover, to approach a regal aesthetic. They should just do a Phantom Shooting Brake 4x4. Like this:

Wood paneling optional.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I think showing the mule at such an early stage is a move to instill in people that it's a Rolls Royce, and not a BMW X7 in a sharp suit.

 

[LancerEvo7]

I'll take that Phantom mule without hesitation.

 

[JKgo]

....No. Noooo. An electric Roller, fine. A BMW-powered Roller, fine. A pink Roller, well okay. But a SUV Roller? We already have a Range Rover SVO Autobiography for that...

 

[MatskiMonk]

....No. Noooo. An electric Roller, fine. A BMW-powered Roller, fine. A pink Roller, well okay. But a SUV Roller? We already have a Range Rover SVO Autobiography for that...

Couple of things to note... BMW built an electric Rolls Royce EX, their customers didn't like the idea, despite the fact that it should offer the ultimate in waftability. Their customers did like the idea of a Rolls Royce SUV, and since the Range Rover SVO exists, BMW won't want people migrating away from the brand in order to get a luxury SUV... Their X7 will compete with the GLS from Mercedes, but the people at Mercedes have a GLS Maybach on the cards, and VW will offer the Bentayga... BMW group must follow suit to maintain market share.

Also, they don't like it when you call them Rollers, they prefer the term "Royces".

Either way, they have a V16 in development for the next Phantom, that's what I'm most interested in seeing

 

[JKgo]

...Well, at least there's a V16. That's something.

.....Wait, did you say V16???

 

[AudiMan2011]

...Well, at least there's a V16. That's something.

.....Wait, did you say V16???

Well, a V16 was planned for the current Phantom, and the engine was actually built before it was canned for a V12. Maybe BMW will let them use a V16 for the next Phantom?

 

[R5]

A pink Roller, well okay.

Hey, don't hate Lady Penelope!

But a SUV Roller? We already have a Range Rover SVO Autobiography for that...

People buying this will want a mixture of Rolls interior, high driving position and exclusivity. The RR scores 1/3 of these things, really.

 

[MatskiMonk]

BMW have had a V16 in development for Donkey's years. My bet is they are just waiting to see if they need to risk it in order to trump other top end luxury marques.

Rumour was the first V16 application was going to be a Roadster. Strictly a rumour though.

 

[TheCracker]

BMW have had a V16 in development for Donkey's years. My bet is they are just waiting to see if they need to risk it in order to trump other top end luxury marques.

Wouldn't surprise me if they had a smaller capacity V8 twin turbo in development. A V16 based off this wouldn't be much of a stretch for them.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Wouldn't surprise me if they had a smaller capacity V8 twin turbo in development. A V16 based off this wouldn't be much of a stretch for them.

Possible. The next 7 series (and X7, and rumoured "9 series/Vision Future Luxury/Gran Lusso Coupe") will still get a 6ish litre V12, and as long as that happens I'm sure RR will stick to 12 cylinders as a minimum. It's also been said before that Rolls-Royce want to keep the Ghost as the entry point for the brand, so I doubt this SUV would get a V8 either.

There's talk of a high performance Wraith coming soon as well... I was hoping the V16 would find it's way into that, but the "rumour" I mentioned above is of a "Million Pound" Rolls-Royce roadster, and that will debut the V16.

 

[homeforsummer]

But a SUV Roller? We already have a Range Rover SVO Autobiography for that...

Given that BMW-owned Rolls-Royce and Tata-owned Land Rover are different companies, the existence of the latter is in no way something that would preclude the appearance of the former.

 

[TheCracker]

Possible. The next 7 series (and X7, and rumoured "9 series/Vision Future Luxury/Gran Lusso Coupe") will still get a 6ish litre V12, and as long as that happens I'm sure RR will stick to 12 cylinders as a minimum. It's also been said before that Rolls-Royce want to keep the Ghost as the entry point for the brand, so I doubt this SUV would get a V8 either.

Yeah, i was referring to BMW having a smaller capacity V8 in the pipeline that could be developed into a Rolls-badged V16. 👍

 

[JKgo]

Given that BMW-owned Rolls-Royce and Tata-owned Land Rover are different companies, the existence of the latter is in no way something that would preclude the appearance of the former.

.....Huh, I already knew that - I brought up the Range Rover SVO simply because how it's been called as a "Rolls Royce of SUVs", by the press.
I realize the comparison between the two is, of course, unfair to the Roller, since I'm fairly sure it won't (or can't?) go off-road when it indeed is available for purchase...

 

[homeforsummer]

I'd suggest the comparison is more unfair to the Rolls-Royce because it'll almost certainly be a great deal more luxurious than the Range Rover.

 

[JKgo]

....Maybe - Okay I admit I'm a fan of Land Rover so I might end up defending it to death, so I should stop before I reach a ridiculous state of exasperation.

I certainly have no idea what are the plans by Rolls Royce - whether it will be a straight-up BMW badge swap or something much more aspirational. I did say no to the whole thing, and until I see how the finished product look like, I don't think I'll change how I feel about this. (You can partially blame this on Bentley for its gawd-awful Bentleyaga-yoga or something)

 

[R5]

(You can partially blame this on Bentley for its gawd-awful Bentleyaga-yoga or something)

The irony is that The Range Rover is actually more to blame for the Rolls and Bentley

 

[RocZX]

First pics of the suv body

 

[Neddo]

So Aston Martin is only exotic car maker that won't sell out produce SUVs? This really surprised me

 

[Heldenzeit]

I expected the worst, but that's not bad. Imposing for sure. Excited to see the first one wrapped in gold chrome.

 

[Touring Mars]

Would this car ever make it to full production if the English Premiership didn't exist?

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Rolls' house style suits an SUV body more than most other marques, IMO. Standing next to a full-size Phantom, it's practically as tall as some already.

So Aston Martin is only exotic car maker that won't sell out produce SUVs? This really surprised me

Ferrari.

 

[05XR8]

Look like the fake Rolls Royce grille from cars I grew up seeing in the '70s & '80s

 

[TexRex]

So Aston Martin is only exotic car maker that won't produce SUVs?

How do we (and by "we" I mean "you") know this? There's no denying the desire in the marketplace, and automakers have buckled under far less pressure.

Anyway, the name sounds too much like "culling" and that's just no good...

 

[Neddo]

How do we (and by "we" I mean "you") know this? There's no denying the desire in the marketplace, and automakers have buckled under far less pressure.

Anyway, the name sounds too much like "culling" and that's just no good...

I never said that it's definitive, but I read somewhere some time ago that they won't make one. But many said never too, and they made them.

 

[Robin]

Welp it looks like a Rolls Royce although I think going more Phantom and less Ghost design wise on this model was a mistake.

 

[Tornado]

Phantom wagon on stilts is about what I expected them to pit together.