Say hiya to the Cullinan, the primary SUV from Rolls-Royce. This uber-premium automaker has a storied historical past constructing among the most interesting luxurious sedans and coupes on this planet. But worry not, you well-heeled readers — the Cullinan SUV is as decadent a Rolls-Royce as every other.That’s as a result of Rolls-Royce builds the Cullinan on the identical (aptly named) “Architecture of Luxury” that underpins the brand new Phantom. And with an air suspension, all-wheel drive and a wealth of usable cargo area out again, the Cullinan is solely higher geared up to not solely take you locations different Rolls-Royces cannot, however deliver your whole most interesting gear alongside, as effectively.
Power comes from a 6.75-liter V12 engine, producing 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. There’s greater than sufficient energy for fast acceleration, and all of it comes on with an effortlessly elegant rush. As I make my method as much as cruising velocity, the eight-speed automated transmission does its factor invisibly — significantly, I by no means really feel it altering gears. And as I strategy a curve or hill, the transmission makes use of GPS information to preemptively downshift (once more, easily) so I’m all the time within the right gear for what’s forward.
Why do not you include me…A attribute characteristic of all Rolls-Royce vehicles is the so-called “magic carpet ride,” and whereas that appears like a gimmicky time period, I am unable to consider a greater solution to describe it. Stereoscopic cameras learn the street forward and regulate the air suspension each millisecond. I really feel like I’m driving on freshly poured, super-smooth asphalt, and nothing breaks the spell. Potholes? What potholes?
Once I’m on the freeway, nevertheless, the extremely comfortable suspension could make the Cullinan really feel floaty at velocity. Sure, this can be a very luxurious automobile with a serene trip, nevertheless it’s generally arduous to get a way of precisely what’s taking place beneath you. Adaptive cruise management makes freeway slogs lots simpler, and willingly retains the Cullinan at a set distance from the automobile forward, easily bringing me to a cease as I attain heavy visitors on the San Francisco Bay Bridge.Lane-keeping help supplies further steering as effectively, and offers a slight vibration by means of the steering wheel ought to I stray out of the lane. Thankfully, not like some producers, there isn’t any audible warning to go along with the lane-departure system. After all, Rolls-Royce has packed 220 kilos of sound-deadening materials into the Cullinan. You assume it should run all that with some loud beeping?On winding roads, the Cullinan actually exhibits its dimension. This is a 6,000-pound, 17-foot-long SUV, and never supposed for spirited backroad blasts. Still, rear-axle steering helps the Cullinan really feel extra nimble than you may anticipate, and the air suspension retains the physique stage whereas cornering. There’s an honest quantity of suggestions by means of the steering, too. Plus, I like how I can see the hood stand up beneath arduous acceleration like a ship slicing by means of ocean waters, and the large brakes have ample stopping energy with stable pedal really feel.Oh sure, it has coach doorways.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
There are not any drive modes, save for an off-road setting that raises the Cullinan by 2 inches over its customary trip peak, and adjusts the transmission, throttle, engine and steering calibration. Editor-in-chief Tim Stevens had an opportunity to do some gentle off-roading when he first drove the Cullinan final yr. And I’m fairly stoked to place it by means of a really thorough off-road check this fall.I’ll contact on gas effectivity solely briefly, as a result of it is probably not one of many Cullinan’s robust fits. Of course, should you’re shopping for a Cullinan, gas financial system in all probability is not excessive up in your listing of buy issues. The EPA charges Rolls-Royce’s SUV at 12 miles per gallon within the metropolis, 20 mpg freeway and 14 mpg mixed. During every week of combined driving, I noticed proper round 12 mpg.Ultra-luxe interiorInstead, you are shopping for a Cullinan as a result of it is one of many most interesting luxurious vehicles out there wherever. The leathers are so lovely and so comfortable, and the surfaces that are not lined in disguise are constituted of open-pore wooden and beautiful textiles. Lambswool flooring mats simply make me need to curl my toes within the carpets, and each floor round me is heated for added consolation.
Rear-seat passengers have it actually candy. My tester has the out there bench seat configuration which may fold all the way down to, as Rolls-Royce says, “carry a long item back from their trip — whether it be a Mark Rothko from the art gallery or a newly discovered artifact from the latest archaeological dig.”Leather, leather-based in every single place.
Rolls-Royce
Behind the rear seats you may discover 21 cubic toes of cargo area. That is not a ton, however there’s added versatility to be discovered within the clamshell hatch, which might be optioned with a pair of slide-out seats for absolutely the most interesting tailgating you’ll be able to think about. The rear seats can fold down on the contact of a button, providing you with 68 cubic toes of area and a load size of 88 inches. That’s longer than a long-wheelbase Range Rover, by the best way.If you need to get actually fancy, you’ll be able to spec a two-seat format with adjustable chairs, in addition to a cooler within the center for — what else? — champagne. The seats have a therapeutic massage perform, in addition to an electronically deployable tray desk, which homes a 12-inch pill that may management the Cullinan’s infotainment system.Therein lies my solely actual situation with the Cullinan: the infotainment system is considerably missing. This is basically a reskinned model of BMW’s iDrive software program, managed by the Spirit of Ecstasy-adorned rotary dial within the middle console or by touching the 10-inch display within the middle of the sprint.I’ve by no means actually been a fan of iDrive — it is filled with menus and submenus that make issues way more sophisticated than they must be. Neither Apple CarPlay or Android Auto can be found, although you need to use display mirroring to get your Android-powered cellphone’s interface to look. However, resident Android knowledgeable Antuan Goodwin tells me the preferred telephones working this software program do not help display monitoring.The BMW iDrive-based tech is a large number of menus and submenus.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
The embedded navigation system is clunky and never very intuitive, and whereas I can use voice instructions to enter a vacation spot, it has a tough time recognizing many phrases — particularly California streets with Spanish names. There is not a one-box entry perform, both, so it’s a must to toggle by means of many layers of navigation information earlier than setting off. For a automobile with a tagline “Effortless Everywhere,” this infotainment setup is overly sophisticated.But it is not all unhealthy on the tech entrance. Five USB Type-C shops can be found all through the cabin, as are three 12-volt shops and a wi-fi charging pad inside the middle console.Like any Rolls-Royce, the sky is the restrict by way of customization, and the corporate will do virtually something you ask it to — for a value, natch. My tester begins at $325,000, however provides issues like a $5,000 bespoke clock, $4,025 for contrasting piping on the seats, $9,950 for an upgraded audio system and an entire lot extra. Add in $2,500 for vacation spot, $2,600 for a gas-guzzler tax, and you find yourself with the $399,275 as-tested value of the Cullinan you see right here.Nothing else on this planet actually competes with the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. A Land Rover Range Rover affords good luxurious with substantial off-road chops, and you may actually examine the Bentley Bentayga, although it is not practically as good to drive or be pushed in. Expensive as it’s, the 2019 Cullinan is arguably the best SUV on this planet. But what else would you anticipate from Rolls-Royce?The Spirit of Ecstasy hood decoration hides out of sight when parked, then pops again up on ignition.
Emme Hall/Roadshow