Rolls-Royce Cullinan ultra-luxury SUV breaks cover

NEW DELHI: Touted to be one of the most awaited SUVs of the year, Rolls Royce Cullinan is finally unveiled on a global digital platform. Named after a 3,106-carat jewel extracted from a South African mine in 1905, the ultra-luxury SUV is a blend of luxurious comfort and off-roading capabilities. The carmaker describes it as an "all-terrain, high-bodied car for luxurious, effortless travel everywhere."The front facade of the Cullinan holds the company's trademark stainless-steel pantheon grille and peculiar LED (light emitting diodes) daytime running lights. The butch vehicle rests on 22-inch wheels and sports suicide doors despite being an SUV. When compared to its rival the Bentley Bentayga, the Cullinan at 3,295mm is longer, wider and more spacious with a bigger wheelbase. It provides a large 600-litres boot space in the five-seat layout while the company will also offer an individual seat configuration option that replaces the rear bench with two individual seats, partitioned by a drinks cabinet. This particular layout also adds a glass partition between the luggage compartment and the second row for privacy purposes.The Cullinan's cockpit practically mirrors its sibling, the Phantom. It has the trademark analogue clock on the dash along with the rotary Spirit of Ecstasy controller on the centre console. It has a smaller steering with a thick rim and a touchscreen instrument console along with a head-up display (HUD), WiFi hotspot and the latest navigation and entertainment systems. Safety features are plenty on the luxury SUV with night vision, night assist, alertness assistant, daytime and night-time pedestrian and wildlife warning, four panoramic view camera systems with helicopter view, collision warning and active cruise control and more. Under the hood, the Cullinan carries an entirely reworked 6.75-litre, twin-turbocharged V12 that also powers the Phantom in a different state of tune. The motor produces 571PS and a peak torque of 870Nm at 1,600rpm, providing the SUV with a top speed of 250kmph. Also, it is the first Rolls Royce which is going to be propelled by an all-wheel-drive system.Confident about its vehicle's capability, Rolls Royce conducted its pre-production testing in full public gaze where the British Luxury marque teamed up with National Geographic to film the luxury SUV's final testing journey. Christened as 'The Final Challenge" the series showcased the Cullinan conquering dramatic landscapes and terrains. The Cullinan makes it all possible with just an 'off-road' button that allows the SUV to glide through snow, sand, mud and other challenging terrains pretty effortlessly. The vehicle's electronically controlled suspension utilises an air-compression system to maintain road contact when it detects a wheel losing traction. While Rolls-Royce is tight-lipped about the pricing of the SUV, the Cullinan is expected to be priced a little higher than the Ghost which has a market price of Rs 4.5 crore (ex-showroom) in India. The Cullinan is likely to reach Indian shores by the end of 2018, following its international launch.