So, Cullinan is the first Rolls-Royce with a tailgate. The base architecture was reconfigured into a spaceframe that was higher and shorter. The all-new aluminium sub-structure delivers extraordinary car body stiffness for exceptional ‘best-in-class’ functional performance on rough terrain whilst offering better ride comfort. Learn further.
The making of Cullinan
Key to the creation of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV was the Architecture of Luxury – Rolls-Royce’s proprietary all-aluminium architecture. Cullinan uses this new architecture in a wholly different manner to deliver an iconic design and presence, uncompromised comfort, space and usability, cutting edge technology and its peerless on-road and off-road driving experience and capability.
How Rolls-Royce made it possible for the ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ to move off-road: The details
“The drivetrain system we engineered for Cullinan had one key job to do,” explains Caroline Krismer, Engineering Project Leader for Cullinan. “To bring the famed Rolls-Royce ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ to all other terrains possible, while ensuring class-leading on-road behaviour in the SUV sector.”
A significant role is played by the new lighter architecture, and the latest generation of self -levelling air suspension. The existing air suspension system has been completely reengineered – larger air struts have been added with more air volume for all-terrain cushioning, the drive and prop shafts have been further strengthened and drive is provided to the front wheels as well as the back for the first time in Rolls-Royce history. The 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 Rolls-Royce engine has been tuned to deliver just the right level of torque (850Nm) at as low as 1,600 revolutions per minute. The electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system makes millions of calculations every second based on body and wheel acceleration, steering inputs and camera information. A new double-wishbone front axle and 5-link rear axle deliver astounding levels of control over lateral roll and shear forces and deliver incredible agility and stability, as does the addition of four-wheel steering. In a clever move, the electronically controlled shock absorber adjustment system uses an air compression system to actively push down any wheel that is found to be losing traction, so that every wheel is constantly in contact with the ground and maximum torque is supplied to all wheels.
All the above engineering wonders and technical wizardry can be commissioned by the touch of one button that is known for insiders as the ‘Everywhere’ button, unleashing all of Cullinan’s off-road capability.
The prowess can be further fine tuned to glide over any situation, be it rough track, gravel, wet grass, mud, snow or sand delivering all 850Nm of torque to all four wheels without interruption.
Challenged in deep snow, sand or by the need to ford streams, Cullinan delivers the deepest wading depth of any super-luxury SUV at 540mm thanks to its highest ride height. (The Rolls-Royce isn’t obviously considering the Range Rover, as that is pitched at 900 mm but treated as a different class).
Designing a force of nature
The strength and toughness of a warrior is immediately expressed on the face of Cullinan. Key features such as lights and air intakes are deep set into the bodywork, whilst strong vertical and horizontal lines create a powerful visage, with the prominent brow of a Saxon warrior created by the line that runs across the top of the pantheon grille and ‘eyebrow’-like daytime running lights.
The grille is created from hand-polished stainless steel, and slightly above the line of the wing stays the Rolls-Royce badge and Spirit of Ecstasy. Away from the face of Cullinan the vertical lines that run from the A-pillars down along the raised bonnet edge, down the side of the grille and into the metal skid plate below emphasise the height of the car. The profile with its long-bonnet accentuates its dominant character. The line then rises quickly on the A-pillar to resolve in an ultimate height for Cullinan of 1,836mm. From just over the B-pillar, the roofline becomes quite fast and drops away to the even faster rear-glass which signs off in an elegantly protruding boot lid that reminds one of the D-Back Rolls-Royces of the 1930’s, some of the last Rolls-Royce carriages to carry luggage on a shelf outside. Taylor’s famous rotating line then takes the eye back towards the front of Cullinan as it shoots forward through the 22-inch wheel hubs to give it a beautiful balance, whilst the depth of the side profile is optically broken up by a most authentic and honest piece of metal, like a Saxon spear, that flies down the lower door surface giving the profile a beautiful sense of tension.
In the Cullinan, functionality reigns and any adornment – or jewellery as Rolls-Royce calls it – is underplayed. For instance, the Rolls-Royce badge stands on its own smaller plinth above a thin metal finisher over the number plate housing. Likewise, two narrow upright units house all the lights and are minimally adorned by thin narrow strips of jewellery at their centre.
The seats in Cullinan have a bold character, showcasing Rolls-Royce quality and craftsmanship. They feature a simple but modern horseshoe graphic, which emphasises the supportive bolsters of the seat. This entire backrest panel has been crafted from a single piece of leather – heated surfaces include the front door armrests, front centre console lid, lower C-Pillar, rear side armrests and rear centre armrest.
Is there more to come?
The engineering team behind Cullinan adapted the Architecture of Luxury to the design template of a high-bodied car laid down by Giles Taylor and his design team, in a way that would allow it to be scalable to the size and weight requirements of different future Rolls-Royce models, including those with different propulsion, traction and control systems, thus underpinning the future product roadmap.
So, a Rolls-Royce SUV is now a fact that we better get used to around us. Because, going by the wave of rising interest, it’s shortly going to be an omnipresent presence we encounter with an admiring glance.
