Motoring

You wouldn’t wear your Jimmy Choos on a hike but you can take your Rolls Royce through a desert

Rolls Royce’s first SUV is almost ready for launch. As a part of its pre-launch publicity drive, the Cullinan takes on a multitude of punishing terrains and altitudes—all in the public eye with Cory Richards of National Geographic. In the latest installment of the Cullinan video teaser series, Rolls-Royce’s latest Cullinan teaser proves that it is a dune bashing beast.

Apr 24, 2018 | By Shirley Wang

As a part of its pre-launch publicity drive, the super-luxury Cullinan takes on a multitude of punishing terrains and altitudes—all in the public eye with Cory Richards of National Geographic. In the latest installment of the Cullinan video teaser series, Rolls-Royce’s latest Cullinan teaser proves that it is a dune bashing beast.

Code named Cullinan since Rolls’ announcement, the British luxury carmaker’s first-ever SUV, is almost ready for launch.

Its name is inspired by the Cullinan Diamond, the largest flawless diamond ever found. The 3,106-carat gem was dug up in South Africa’s Magaliesberg Mountains and named after the owner of the mine, Thomas Cullinan. Rolls likens the solidity and precious nature of the giant diamond to its new SUV, coined as a “high-bodied vehicle”.

The ‘All-Terrain High-Sided Bodied Vehicle’ can be seen ripping across the dunes outside of Dubai. The teaser clip begins with a prototype hidden under camouflage wrap leaving the Dubai cityscape behind, and heading deep into the desert. Giving us a glimpse of its capability off the road, the luxury car is filmed with plenty of drifting and fancy jumping over sandy dunes.

As the launch date approaches closer, the Goodwood-based marque has started accepting expressions of interest along with deposits to reserve a model of what that might be the most expensive SUV on the market.

It is speculated that the Cullinan will share some similarities in its engine and chassis with the eighth-generation Phantom that debuted last year. Apart from an aluminum-intensive chassis to keep its weight in check, it might also boost a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12.

Ahead of its launch, the Cullinan was tested across different terrains and environments, with this Dubai run as “The Final Challenge”.

The Cullinan’s public debut is set at the end of this year, and arrive in showrooms next year with a six digits price tag. With Bentley’s Bentayga now standing as one of the most popular model in key markets like the United States and China, Rolls-Royce will be competing with its former sister company, as well as other luxury SUVs such as the recent Lamborghini Urus in the same segment with this upcoming debut.


 
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