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Meet the first SUV from the storied ne plus ultra scion of wealth and power. Cullinan, from Rolls-Royce, is a nearly 6,000 pound, high-class bruiser, long-awaited by the top one percent of the One Percent, who have evidently been clamoring for the same thing everybody else wants when car shopping — SUVs — but a stratospherically better version. It’s a properly good trail-whipper — if not a true rock-crawler — that delivers its raw power with panache. Owners won’t blink at the $320,000 price of entry, and the public will likely argue, for a while anyway, about the success of its design, but the British marque has produced exactly what it should have. This is a product that stretches its boundaries while remaining faithful to the brand.
The Good: The Cullinan glides beautifully down any road, and floats like a cloud over trails. The simplified off-road controls — literally, just a button that says “Off-Road” — help limit confusion or uncertainty, while ensuring that the car can deftly manage any rough or low-friction surface. But the inside is a sight to behold. It is roomy, plush and truly special in a way no other SUV can match. It’s also powerful, accelerating to 60 mph in less than six seconds and coughing up 630 lb-ft of torque at just 1,600 rpm, meaning you can power your way out of any mess despite the car’s bigness.
Who They’re For: Oh my, this is a loaded question. It’s clearly for fantastically wealthy estate types, high-profile athletes and celebrities, and assorted entrepreneurs and executives who simply groove on the Rolls-Royce vibe. (It’s not for serious off-roader junkies or anyone who thinks for a second they’re going to climb back in this thing after scampering up a mountain trail in the rain, with their dogs.) But here’s who else it’s for: those who like their luxury with a bit of edge or artfulness to it. Rolls-Royce is the only car company in the world that can really get away with such things as two-tone finishes (okay, also $2.6 million Bugattis), rich leather tones, sparkly chrome trim seeded throughout the interior and exterior and customized interior surfaces adorned with anything from colorful modern-art designs to leafy naturalist etchings. Whatever you like, Rolls will deliver, and deliver it well. This is true because the Rolls-Royce design can truly support such artistic ambitions. It’s not a coincidence that the cars draw creative minds as much as they do those with more, shall we say, imperialist intent. Or just rich folk with kids. Whatever.
Watch Out For: The Cullinan, while opulent and capable, lacks many of the features that younger buyers might crave, whether driver aids like lane-keeping and semi-autonomous highway driving or electronic gizmos in the infotainment system. I suppose there’s something to be said for any Rolls-Royce being an escape from such earthly sirens, but these cars nevertheless exist in the real world, occupied by real people with smartphones, long miles to drive and an appreciation for cool and surprising new features. Their lack seems out of place.
Alternatives: There aren’t many SUV’s that can truly come close to the Cullinan in terms of presence, luxury and design grandeur. The Bentley Bentayga certainly does, followed by the Land Rover Range Rover and, at a distant third, the Cadillac Escalade. [Editor’s Note: Lincoln’s Navigator is somewhere high in that mix.] The Lamborghini Urus doesn’t really count in this category, as it’s a different kettle of fish. Anything else in the world doesn’t even merit being whispered in the same breath as Cullinan.
