The Rolls-Royce Cullinan was not exactly the subject of vast critical acclaim when it was launched, but what does the motoring press know? While Rolls-Royce sales may not exactly be sky high, the Cullinan has become a top seller for the brand, massively growing its customer base.
So much so that Rolls is continuing with the Cullinan and updating it to increase its appeal further. Which is why we’re experiencing the new Cullinan II, in Black Badge form, for the first time. Will minor visual updates be enough to increase the massive luxury SUV’s appeal?
What does the Rolls-Royce Cullinan II look like?
Just like its predecessor, the Cullinan II exists to make an impact on Rolls-Royce’s bottom line and to do the same on the road. The huge Rolls-Royce grille, the square stance and the lines that have (rather unkindly) been likened to those of a London taxi, are all present and correct, but it’s the sheer bulk of the Cullinan that’s hard to ignore. At just under 5.5 metres long and two metres wide, it’s a big thing, but the basic shell hasn’t changed much compared with its predecessor.
What has changed are the details. There’s a new grille and a new nose, while Rolls-Royce has also changed the door handles, and the supposedly sportier Black Badge model gets black door handles to match the black Spirit of Ecstasy and black trim. The Black Badge has been a huge money-maker for Rolls-Royce, giving the car a more dynamic edge to the design and a darker atmosphere. It won’t be to everyone’s taste - and Rolls-Royce will still offer conventional versions of the Cullinan with the silver grille and mascot - but it has massively increased Rolls-Royce’s customer base.
A look inside the Rolls-Royce Cullinan II
Just as the Cullinan’s exterior has only changed in the details, the same is also true of the cabin. There’s a new digital instrument display, which sounds modern, but it still presents classic dials, just in digital form. There’s still a power reserve gauge, in place of a rev counter, and a traditional speed readout. It’s all very familiar.
But then the concept of familiarity is different in a Rolls-Royce, and the Cullinan’s cabin may not have changed, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t spectacular. The carpets are deep enough to hide a shipwreck, the materials are almost all fabulous, and there are buttons for all the functions that would normally need manual operation. There’s no need to open and close doors by yourself, and those in the back get screens and tables to play with, too.
They get lots of space, as well, because the Cullinan’s size means there’s plenty of room inside. Rear legroom is enormous, as is headroom beneath the starlight headliner that can be customised to represent the night’s sky on any date you choose. As usual, personalisation like that is a key part of the brand’s offering, and customers can have pretty much anything they want in that roomy cabin.
But while the design is almost infinitely customisable, the basic shape isn’t all that inspiring, and the build quality isn’t necessarily quite as solid as you might hope. In fairness, most components feel very smart, and the vast majority are neatly bolted together, but there are one or two cheap bits of plastic that let the side down a bit.
For all the luxurious design, though, the Cullinan is practical and spacious. Not only is there lots of space in the cabin, but the boot is pretty large, too. So large, in fact, that you can specify all sorts of extras in there, such as fold-out ‘event’ seats so you can picnic on the rear bumper.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan II’s on-board technology
Rolls-Royce doesn’t really go in for technology in the way some other manufacturers might, but that hasn’t stopped the company adding a bit to the Cullinan II. The new model gets the aforementioned digital instrument display, which makes it more modern, but because the layout is as traditional as ever, it doesn’t make that big an impact.
Rolls-Royce has also given the Cullinan II a central infotainment screen, but to keep grubby fingerprints from ruining the cleanliness of the dashboard, there’s a rotary control in the centre console for the driver and front passenger to use. However, those in the back can have screens to themselves, allowing them to watch stuff on the move, as well as accessing the car’s climate control and media systems from the rear.
There are some more subtle bits of tech, too, including the starry roof lining, complete with occasional shooting stars, and there are the buttons for opening doors, lowering tray tables and accessing touchscreens. And those seats we mentioned in the boot? They slide out of their housing electronically, of course.
How fast is the Rolls-Royce Cullinan II?
Rolls-Royce isn’t really a performance brand, but the Black Badge models are designed to have a little bit of menace, and they certainly have intimidatingly large engines. In the case of the Cullinan, it’s a turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 petrol engine that produces up to 600hp and distributes it between all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
That’s a lot of power, but because the car weighs 2.7 tonnes, it’s only enough to get from 0-100km/h in just over five seconds, while the top speed is limited to 250km/h. So, the Cullinan is quick, but it isn’t exactly fast. It’s no faster than a hot hatchback like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, let alone the noticeably more rapid Bentley Bentayga.
In truth, the Cullinan Black Badge is not really performance-orientated. The V12 engine is all about excess - an excess of power, an excess of refinement and an excess of consumption. That all equals effortlessness, with the engine using a mere fraction of its capability to keep the car going fast enough to keep up with traffic - and sometimes even faster.
As a result, and because there’s just so much soundproofing, the Cullinan is hugely quiet at any speed, and it’s immensely relaxing to be in. If you press the button marked ‘low’ on the gear selector, you can get a bit more of a growl from the engine. Do that and it has a little more menace, but it’s still pretty highbrow and aristocratic in its delivery.
What it isn’t is economical. Dragging this huge 4x4 around using such a massive engine is not going to win Rolls-Royce any prizes with the environmentalists, and the fuel economy doesn’t really bear examination. Not that traditional Rolls-Royce punters are too bothered about fuel costs.
Driving the Rolls-Royce Cullinan II
Nobody is likely to choose the Cullinan because they want the last word in handling, but Rolls-Royce has attempted to make the Black Badge version drive a little more sportily than its siblings. Sportier suspension and bigger wheels might make it a little more agile, but the difference is not night and day. The steering is still a bit vague, and the car is still enormous, so it’s never going to feel as sporty as the Bentley Bentayga or a Porsche Cayenne, and it is quite cumbersome in town.
But while the suspension changes might not make an enormous difference to the way the Cullinan drives, the big wheels and sportier suspension mean the Black Badge Cullinan doesn’t ride as brilliantly as you might hope. It’s far from uncomfortable, but it doesn’t quite glide as well as you might expect from a Rolls-Royce. In fact, it isn’t even as good as a Range Rover, but the Cullinan’s ride improves as speed builds and it’s still a really comfortable motorway machine.
And it has a bit of off-road capability, too, thanks to the standard all-wheel-drive system and a range of electronic gizmos. Owners are far from likely to use the Cullinan as a hardcore 4x4 - it’s hardly a rival for the Toyota Land Cruiser - but this is a Rolls that can cut it on a farm track or when the snow comes down, and that might be enough for some of Rolls’ clients.
How safe is the Rolls-Royce Cullinan?
Euro NCAP, the European independent safety organisation, buys its cars secretly from dealers, so we don’t expect to see the Cullinan tested any time soon - it’s just too niche and too expensive for that. However, Rolls-Royce still sees safety as an issue for customers because it has decked the Cullinan out with all kinds of driver assistance systems, including lane departure warning, speed limit recognition and a reversing camera. You can even specify night vision technology that shows you the view ahead as seen by an infra-red camera, providing greater visual acuity than the headlights and your eyes.
The reasons you’d buy a Rolls-Royce Cullinan II
Rolls-Royce may once have prided itself on building the world’s best cars, but the Cullinan has never been the best car in its class. Dynamically outmanoeuvred by the Bentley Bentayga and less comfortable than the Range Rover, it’s simply a statement of opulence and power that’s beautifully tailored to the individual. If you want the best luxury 4x4 in the world, look elsewhere, but if you want something that’s luxurious to the point of being grandiose and can be perfectly customised to your desires, while still being capable of driving over almost any terrain you can think of, then look no further.
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