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Launched in 2018, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan quickly became the most popular model in the brand’s line-up. It brought a unique combination of ultra-luxury appointments and genuine off-road capabilities to the largest segment in passenger cars: SUVs.
The new Cullinan Series II builds on that image with an advanced digital interface called “Spirit,” a private members app called “Whispers,” and new technologies that add more screens in the front and rear of the vehicle, complete with rear passenger streaming capabilities. Of course, you can’t miss the radical changes to the front end that the brand believes will appeal to a growing audience of younger, richer clients from rapidly expanding regions around the world.
Priced from AUD$777,000 before on-road costs, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II sees a modest $72,000 price increase over the previous generation. However, we have to remember that every Rolls-Royce is bespoke, and pricing varies depending on client specification.
Still, some buyers will want even more and opt for the AUD$895,000 plus on-road costs Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II ‘Black Badge’, which represents an $85,000 price rise over the previous generation vehicle (AUD$810,000). Not that any of this matters to buyers. They care more about the colour of their stitching than the money it costs to purchase the vehicle.
RELATED: 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre Revealed, First All-Electric Model In-Depth.
New Target Market for Rolls-Royce Influenced the Design
Contrary to popular belief, most Rolls-Royce owners like to drive their vehicles. Today, less than 10 percent of Rolls-Royce vehicles are chauffeur-driven, which is a stark difference to the 70 percent of vehicles that were chaueffer-driven when the Cullinan first launched. The average age of Rolls-Royce owners has also dropped from 56 in 2010 to 43 in 2024. As such, the brand has been challenged to adjust to the market, and the Cullinan Series II is their answer.
Clearly, that younger audience has influenced the vehicle’s design. While it’s never been the most beautiful thing on the road, more akin to a mansion with wheels, the unmatched presence has only been amplified in Series II with “verticality” playing a major roll in the design. The brand says the “illuminated skyscrapers in the megacities where Cullinan is increasingly at home,” serve as an inspiration.
You’ll notice how the front daytime running lights aggressively streak down from the headlamp. We were apprehensive of this design at first, but after seeing the car in the flesh, it’s more beautiful, and you can see how that front grille redesign has created a strong brow line that flows into the stark headlights. Still, we’re unsure about the design of the new air intakes that are angled outwards in the lower section of the front bumper.
The rear three-quarter view is undoubtedly the Cullinan’s best angle, with a stunning feature line that leads from the taillight forward to the centre of the floating ‘RR’ centre caps on the rear wheel. The exhaust treatment has been cleanly integrated with the body design and polished to a mirror-finish in stainless steel.
Finally, large 23-inch wheels are offered here as an option for the first on a Cullinan and take certain elements from the all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre in their design. According to the brand, each wheel is milled from a billet of aluminium, and the three-dimensional seven-spoke design is available in a part or fully polished finish.
Younger Theme Continues Inside With Added Technology
While the previous generation Cullinan was never short on technology, the Series II updates the interior with modern touchscreens packed with streaming capabilities, some of which has been brought over from the Spectre electric vehicle. This includes the gauge cluster panel in front of the driver and the new, permanently visible Central Information Display.
Owners can add bespoke personalisation here by tailoring the colour of the instrument dials to complement the vehicles interior palette or exterior finish.
The Rolls-Royce Whispers app is for owners only and allows you to control various aspects of the vehicle remotely. For example, you can send destinations directly to your car, view the location of the car remotely, and manage the lock and unlock through the app.
Yes, most of these features are available in a vehicle as basic as a Tesla Model 3. However, we’re talking about a brand that doesn’t like to roll the dice with cutting-edge technologies. They’re in the business of creating timeless vehicles that will last multiple generations without the need for updates.
There’s a remarkable amount of tech in the Series II, including connections for two streaming devices to the rear screens, which now incorporate a bespoke interface for streaming management and controlling seating functions such as massage, heating and cooling. You also get a Wi-Fi hotspot connection and the capability to connect Bluetooth headphones of any type, but you may as well use the included Rolls-Royce headphones or the 18-channel 1400-watt sound system.
Don’t Let the Tech Confuse You, There’s Still Plenty of Craftsmanship
Look below the clock on the dashboard, and you’ll notice the new Spirit of Ecstasy Clock Cabinet, made from solid stainless steel and placed on her own stage with a matte black back panel and high gloss side panels to create a reflection effect.
While leather remains the most logical choice in an ultra-luxury SUV like this, a new rayon fabric made from bamboo called ‘Duality Twill’ can also be optioned on the interior and incorporates up to 2.2 million stitches, 11 miles of thread and is the product of 20 hours of construction. The brand says this material was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d’Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa. Clients can choose from 51 different colours of thread, obviously.
Power-wise, the Cullinan Series II is powered by the same 6.75-litre twin turbo V12 engine that produces 563HP and 663 lb-ft of torque. The magic carpet suspension remains too, and this is very likely to be the most comfortable SUV on the road.
Pricing for the Australian market starts from AUD$777,000 before on-road costs for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, and AUD$895,000 plus on-road costs for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II ‘Black Badge’. Client deleveries are expected to start in Q4, 2024.
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