With Bentley already confirming that its SUV will launch in 2016, Rolls-Royce is not wasting time and is reportedly working on a rival expected to go on sale in late 2017.
The Rolls-Royce SUV is in its early development stage, with design boss Giles Taylor telling Autocar that his team is still “sketching to assess the viability of the concept. We are not yet grappling with three dimensions and proportions.”
Refuting the idea that the SUV project would damage the Rolls-Royce brand, Taylor added that the company is looking to create a proper SUV, “a shooting brake, not a crossover with a sloping roof.” Or, as another source put it, “a kind of Mercedes GLK-plus-plus.”
According to other sources from within the company, the SUV would be priced from £200,000 (€244,972) and would likely form part of the future Ghost family rather than being derived from the Phantom. That’s despite initial rumors that said the future Rolls-Royce SUV would be based on the upcoming BMW X7.
However, BMW is said to be preparing a much more sophisticated platform for the future Ghost and a possible 9-Series family, previewed by the BMW Vision Future Luxury concept.
The SUV fits the shift of Rolls-Royce’s customer base, with markets like China becoming ever more important for the British brand. SUVs are expected to quickly catch on in China following a timid reception over the past few years.
By Dan Mihalascu
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