With all the notable British brands turning their attention to the SUV segment, Rolls-Royce isn’t looking to be outdone, especially by Bentley.
The rivalry between Bentley and Rolls-Royce started when the two German giants (Volkswagen and BMW) separated them into two standalone brands, with different ideas and philosophies. Still, that didn’t stop them to aim for basically the same clientele, each boasting their own unique approaches.
This year’s Frankfurt auto salon bloomed with official SUV debuts, previews and concepts, the most notable of which being Bentley’s Bentayga luxury SUV, that opened a new niche dedicated to high-riding luxury automobiles.
Truth be told, Bentley created a highly desirable and exploitable segment for others to jump-in since the day it previewed the EXP 9F and its plans. So, although it’s still lonely at the top, it’s only a matter of time before the Bentayga will have to deal with “unwanted” rivals trying to take its place.
We knew about Rolls-Royce’s SUV project for a while now, but it seems that the BMW-owned car manufacturer wants to debut the automobile much earlier than we anticipated. In fact, speaking to Torsten Muller Otvos – Rolls Royce boss – Auto Express has reported that the future high-riding Roller will allegedly go on sale in 2018. So, does that mean Rolls Royce will officially debut the car at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show?
Moreover, apparently there’s a strong chance the SUV will retain the Cullinan name – currently used in the prototype project – as Otvos stated that he loves it. As for the Bentayga, the man continued saying:
“The Bentley SUV is clearly the number two; Rolls-Royce is the best in the world and will be when our model arrives. We will bring a great new car, and an authentic Rolls Royce into the market.”
Note: Rolls Royce “Project Cullinan” mule pictured
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