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Rolls-Royce has released camouflaged images of its first SUV, the result of what is termed internally as Project Cullinan. The maker doesn't actually refer to it as an SUV however, preferring instead to call it an 'all-terrain, high-sided vehicle'. It will be the first Rolls-Royce in the brand's 110-year history to feature all-wheel drive, and will utilise the new aluminium architecture that will underpin every model in the range from 2018 onwards. The first development vehicle is scheduled to begin testing in public tomorrow.
As part of a worldwide programme, cold-weather trials will take place in the Arctic Circle shortly after Christmas, with Middle East running scheduled for 2017. There's no word on powertrain or pricing details as yet, but you can expect huge opulence with a price tag to match.
Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös commented: "This is an incredibly exciting moment in the development of Project Cullinan both for Rolls-Royce and for the patrons of luxury that follow us around the world. Bringing together the new four-wheel drive system and the new 'architecture of luxury' for the first time sets us on the road to creating a truly authentic Rolls-Royce which, like its forebears, will reset the standard by which all other luxury goods are judged."