SUV in the first class: Rolls-Royce Cullinan requires a lot of budget and courage

A Rolls-Royce SUV, isn’t it? Let’s put it this way: In addition to a reasonable budget, it takes a certain amount of courage to own and operate it. Especially in “Lime Green”. But the driving experience is top notch, no question.

Who exactly buys a Rolls-Royce off the road for 400,000 euros or more? Well, the British carmaker with a unique culture is keeping quiet about its customers. But you can try to guess. Twelve-cylinder fans, for example, come into question. Because there are currently only two SUVs with a standard V12 on the market: the Ferrari Purosangue. But it is sold anyway. So the path leads directly to the second, Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Then there are people who are interested in presenting to those around them that they are economically successful. This is a virtue that is not appreciated at all in Germany (in the USA people think differently about this). But basically there’s nothing wrong with being happy about your hard-earned success and letting other people share in it. And if this participation includes only car fans get to see something.

Cullinan is eccentric

Luxury hotels are also eligible for Rolls-Royce customers. Why not take your hotel guests in an above-average luxury vehicle? People who love the Cullinan are of an unusual nature – after all, it is an unusual piece of car. There is only a view of 1.84 meters long and 5.34 meters long and the inevitable large radiator grille. And then there are doors that open in different directions like the right hook to see.

But the test car had another feature that warranted attention: “Lime Green” is the name of a bright, loud color. Very good. Cullinan’s almost geometric design, on the other hand, looks almost normal. At a glance, you might as well mistake the multi-tasking Brit for a long-wheelbase Range Rover (which is also available in toxic colours). The question still remains whether Cullinan is just for show or whether it can influence other big-budget target groups whose behavior isn’t just equally determined.

In any case, entering the passenger compartment of a Rolls-Royce, which is traditionally lined with sheep carpet, becomes an exercise in climbing. And this despite the fact that thanks to the air suspension Cullinan drops four centimeters before climbing. If you stay behind large fittings with a different border, suddenly you see a problem: you can’t hold the gate, which opens too wide, to close them. Of course there is a solution: press the “Door” button and the door slams shut. And this will also handle what are probably the most powerful electric motors in this car. Because while the last Rolls-Royce Specter recently reviewed by ntv.de is purely electric, under the huge hood of the Cullinan there is a standard twelve-cylinder petrol engine with twin turbocharging and a displacement of 1.5 liters 6.7.

The V12 radiates respectability

And now things get interesting. Combustion engine vs electric motor – should we open this debate? You wouldn’t expect a Rolls-Royce to be a sound wizard, but there’s this ominous sound from the twelfth wheel when the “power reserve” display (internal combustion engines in Rolls-Royces don’t have a tachometer either) points towards zero percent below the full burden of Business strives. Wait, why zero percent? It is a type of negative power display that shows how much remaining power is currently available to the drive train. When the accelerator pedal is fully depressed there is no more.

And now back to the sound. The twelve-cylinder SUV never makes a sound, but its sounds show respect that a pure electric drive lacks. Indeed, Stromer also looks good when the famous “Spirit of Ecstasy” ornament rises into the sky. But a whistling petrol engine is hard to replace. And the turbocharged displacement monster has little to do with the limitations of conventional combustion engines.

When 850 Newton meters of torque are pushed into the eight-speed gearbox from 1,600 rpm, the Cullinan has not reached its peak of freedom, but it generally sets the standards here. Even under a moderate load, the 2.7-ton truck pushes as if it’s being pulled on a giant rubber band. And then the big Brit breezes through rough roads, as if the premium club seats with air conditioning and massage weren’t enough.

By the way, anyone who thinks they can customize the chassis is wrong. At this time, Rolls-Royce sees itself as the only authority that should determine the level of humidity. So forget about “comfort” or “sports” mode – it doesn’t exist here. Of course, the system changes its characteristics according to the road conditions, even if the changes are monitored using a camera.

How does an attractive SUV stack up in terms of utility? In addition to all the luxury features you can imagine, the person in charge grabs an interactive infotainment system in the back with two additional screens at the back and two additional screens.

And the legroom in the second row is as generous as in a large luxury sedan, which makes the all-wheel drive ideal for long trips. By the way, the big SUV is quite sporty. Brit of 571 hp reaches 100 km / h in 5.2 seconds and slows down only at 250 km / h. Are these not all convincing arguments?

How much a Rolls-Royce spends is probably not as important as its price. This starts at less than 400,000 euros and can probably be raised to even greater numbers with an unlimited number of “bespoke” stages. What? did news of all this reach Cullinan in South Africa? In 1905, the diamond, which was also named “Cullinan”, was unearthed from a mine in this town, which is still working today, and is still considered the largest ever found. And who knows, maybe the boss of this mine also drives a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.