First look at Rolls-Royce's first ever SUV

Coming to dealerships in 2018, the car will almost certainly be the most expensive SUV available on the market
Imposing: the results of Rolls-Royce's Project Cullinan emerged this week
Image: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Ashley Coates2 December 2016

Most of the premium car brands have been cashing in on the global appeal of the SUV, even Bentley now has the Bentayga, and Maserati, the Levante.

Now Rolls-Royce is getting in on the act with its “all-terrain, high-sided vehicle”, the first pictures of which have just been made public.

Rolls has had its first SUV in development since at least February 2015, when it announced its intention to design such a car in a letter to (where else) the Financial Times. The luxury car maker named its SUV development programme “Project Cullinan”, and apart from the occasional update to “patrons”, the pioneering project has remained largely secret, the only images coming from “spy photographers” and a handful of releases.

Until now, Rolls has been trying to hide the outward appearance of its car so the only photos to have emerged have featured the strange sight of a Phantom body sitting atop the raised SUV chassis.

Almost two years after the announcement of the project, the camouflaged prototype shown in these pictures will be going on something of a grand tour, including extreme weather tests in the Arctic Circle. The car maker said: “This latest development vehicle will travel to numerous locations around the world in a challenging testing programme to ensure that the end product will be ‘Effortless … Everywhere’”.

Image: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Image: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Although the single most costly SUV will probably remain the modified Mercedes G Wagon adapted by Dartz Motorz, Rolls-Royce is widely anticipated to take the crown as the producer of the world’s most expensive mass-produced SUV when it comes on sale in 2018.

As well as being the firm’s first SUV, the results of Project Cullinan will feature a new suspension system, an all-aluminium body and the company’s first all-wheel drive system. “This is an incredibly exciting moment in the development of Project Cullinan both for Rolls-Royce and for the patrons of luxury that follow us around the world,” commented Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“Bringing together the new four-wheel drive system and the new ‘architecture of luxury’ for the first time sets us on the road to creating a truly authentic Rolls-Royce which, like its forebears, will reset the standard by which all other luxury goods are judged.”

Last month Maserati showed the world its first SUV, the Levante. Aimed at young families, Maserati expects "30 to 40 per cent of sales to be to women, against 95 per cent male sales for the rest of our range”.

Alfa Romeo has also unveiled its first SUV, which it says will do 0-60 in 6.2 seconds and manage a top speed of 177 mph. If that’s the case, the Stelvio will be a direct competitor with the top-of-range SUVs such as the Jaguar F-PACE, Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 and Porsche Macan Turbo, despite costing a lot less, at £35,000 for the base model.

While you’re waiting for the new Rolls to reach your local dealership, check out our reviews of the premium SUVs as well as the more affordable offerings that are currently on sale in the UK.

Follow Ashley on Twitter: @Ashley_Coates.

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