August Car of the Month: Rolls-Royce Cullinan

To be the “Rolls-Royce” of a product category is to be the best. The British marque has quite literally become an accepted superlative. And while luxury brands have flooded the SUV market in recent years with high-end launches—including ultra-premium examples from Bentley and even Lamborghini—the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan is in a class of its own. Of course, vehicles of such prestige are not always easy to come by, but as always, Robb Report partner Penske Automotive Group has its finger on the pulse of the luxury car market and is thus able to secure the Cullinan for readers of this post.

Named after the largest diamond ever found, the Cullinan sparkles as the first all-wheel-drive vehicle and the first with a hatchback in Rolls-Royce’s 112-year history. With a roofline just over 6 feet high, it is also the tallest Rolls-Royce ever.

Powering the Cullinan, which has a curb weight greater than 3 tons, a tremendous 6.7-liter V-12 engine swallows pressurized air from two turbochargers to produce a walloping 563 hp. Rolls-Royce cars are lauded for having the world’s smoothest ride, which the Cullinan delivers with the help of a stereoscopic camera that detects upcoming bumps in the road, and then the Cullinan adjusts ride height accordingly to mitigate any potential passenger discomfort. In addition, the Cullinan uses an algorithm to divide torque between the front and rear axle and keep the acceleration silky smooth, while the vehicle delivers linear power through a four-wheel steering system. When parked, the Cullinan lowers 1.5 inches to make entry and egress easier. All of this equates to what may be the most comfortable ride on the planet.

The cabin furthers this extremely high standard for comfort. The Cullinan is available in two rear-seat configurations: a somewhat traditional but nonetheless plush leather bench that seats up to three people or, for the ultimate in luxury travel, two individually adjustable seats on either side of a center console, which doubles as a bar—complete with glassware and a refrigerator. With the seats up, the rear compartment offers 21.2-cubic feet of storage space, which can accommodate a set of golf clubs and weekend duffels. Or, in Rolls-Royce fashion, this space can include a lavish feature that the company calls a Viewing Module. With the touch of a button, a rearward set of seats and a cocktail table emerge from the tailgate to create an intimate space for taking in the scenery.

Beyond performance, comfort, and luxury, perhaps the most striking element of the Cullinan is the translation of Rolls-Royce’s design language to the SUV platform. For the Cullinan, the brand’s design studio kept the classic Rolls-Royce dimensions intact, making sure each proportion remained true to the brand’s subtle and dignified design philosophy.

The Cullinan is both understated and a masterful expression of elegance. It is perhaps the most anticipated vehicle Rolls-Royce has ever produced, and it is the very definition of superlative. None of the brand’s iconic character was lost during the transformation from sedan to SUV and, with the Cullinan, Rolls-Royce has set the benchmark for the category. One might say it is the Rolls-Royce of SUVs.

Robb Report encourages prospective buyers to contact its partners at Penske Automotive Group to learn more.

For more information, contact:
Michael Famiglietti
Sr. Vice President, Super Premium Brands
Penske Automotive, Inc.
michael@penskeluxury.com