Even though Rolls Royce’s upcoming SUV isn’t a secret anymore, we barely knew (official) anything about it; util now.
BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk shared some information about project Cullinan, while speaking with Top Gear at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, saying that inspiration for the car came from the older Rollers used by the Maharajas:
“There are a lot of stories to tell about Rolls-Royce. When the brand started, typically the cars had a lot of ground clearance and huge wheels, and were used by Maharajas and other people to drive from Europe to the Far East.
“That was a time when the automotive world had not even figured out these different segments or categories – they were just cars. And there weren’t many good roads either,” he adds. “When we dug into the history of Rolls-Royce, we struck upon these kinds of cars and thought, there might be a way.”
Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean the SUV will be a modern-day interpretation of those vehicles, as van Hooydonk assured the upcoming Roller will stick to the marque’s elegant and charming recipe explaining that the idea of a Rolls-Royce used as a daily driver across rough roads was the key.
“Even here [at Villa], Rolls-Royces are perfectly polished, on pedestals, and it’s almost like you’re not allowed to touch them. But that would be wrong. If Rolls-Royce becomes a brand where people think it’s only to look at and not to drive, there could be serious problems. A Rolls-Royce, especially the SUV, should be a car that’s fun to drive”, concluded van Hooydonk.
The new Rolls Royce is expected to arrive in the market in late 2018 with only one engine available, the classic V12 which will be producing more than 600hp. It will also feature an all-new aluminum space frame structure and Rolls’ “magic-carpet ride”.
Note: Rolls Royce SUV test mule pictured
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