Will Rolls Royce's Project Project Cullinan Spawn A Bentayga Killer?

In an open letter published in the Financial Times on 18 February 2015, Rolls-Royce undertook to regularly inform its stakeholders about the progress of Project Cullinan. Continuing this dialogue, which has seen twice-yearly updates, Rolls-Royce today publishes photographs depicting the latest key milestone in the development programme of this new ‘all-terrain, high-sided vehicle’. This first full development vehicle will begin testing in public from tomorrow.

The world’s leading luxury goods brand has regularly informed its patrons about this painstaking development programme. Advocates of the marque have been shown the first engineering mule built for the development of the new all-wheel drive suspension system, as well as those created to test the all-new aluminium architecture that will underpin all Rolls-Royces from 2018 onwards.

This latest development vehicle will travel to numerous locations around the world in a challenging testing programme to ensure that the end product will be ‘Effortless … Everywhere’. Just after Christmas, for example, Project Cullinan will enter the Arctic Circle to undergo cold weather durability and traction testing. Later in 2017, it will travel to the Middle East to endure the highest of temperatures and challenging desert conditions.

“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,” comments Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “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.”

TomM - 12/1/2016 4:27:22 PM

+3 Boost

It doesn't have to. Rolls will sell all the Cullinans they can make - and likely there will be a long waiting list. This is where the market is going - large SUV/crossovers - and these are likely to be the owners fourth or fifth car - and maybe second Rolls too.

mre30 - 12/1/2016 4:44:42 PM

+2 Boost

At the end of the day, the Cullinan may very well be another $300,000 doorstop like the Bentayga looks to be.

HAS ANYONE SEEN AN ACTUAL BENTAYGA IN THE FLESH?
THEY HAVE BEEN OUT FOR 6 MONTHS - I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE.

Some will be sold in Russia and Middle East.

Like the Bentayga, it will likely be too garish for Europe and America and even perhaps China.

TomM - 12/2/2016 7:41:09 AM

+2 Boost

Yes - I have seen several - but not all in the USA.

THe Bentayga is sold out for the first YEAR of production already - you just have to remember that those numbers are still relatively small compared to lesser market level cars. Think - how many BRAND NEW Rolls Royces do you see - probably not many at all as well - it is just that the Phathoms have been out for over 10 years - that there seems like more.

MDarringer - 12/1/2016 7:14:18 PM

+1 Boost

Given that the Bentiguan is for all intents and purposes and Touareg, the Rolls Royce Cunanan is likely to be better.

1lostVW - 12/1/2016 8:29:22 PM

+3 Boost

If the brains of Rolls-Royce are watching Bentley, they no doubt have learned the Bentagya arrived stillborn. Almost immediately the Bentagya was universally disliked once it was seen in the flesh, many say it is nothing more than a rebadged Q7, it is hard to argue that when you see them side by side. Dimensionally they are too similar and the Bentley lacks the aggressive presence and stature of the earlier "concept" or for that matter what a most think a $300,000 SUV should look like, big, imposing and capable of carrying more than weekend Luggage for 2 small people.
The US luxury consumer, no matter how rich, has a limit to what they will pay for a "Utility" vehicle. the concept of a $300,000 SUV didn't seem so far fetched until we got one to market.. The Bentley has failed Utterly and Completely and it is only 4 months on the market... The expected Renaissance for Bentley with the Bentagya introduction has gone up in flames... NOTE to Rolls-Royce, $300,000 is too much for a mid-size SUV... make yours big, imposing, dead quiet inside and opulent as only the english USED to do.. no plastic picnic tables masquerading as English Furniture, like Bentagya. Listen, Learn do not underestimate the demand for a Gulfstream G650 on Wheels.. In this case, there is no such thing as too well done... Bentley may have struck themselves with their own fatal blow, Bentagya is adrift and VW is mired in budget cutting to save the mother ship, the opportunity for a "re-do" is too expensive, no impossible... FInally Rolls-Royce has the field to itself and only itself to blame if we get another Ultra-Luxury Stillborn SUV.