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Many years ago, I went on a motor racing circuit in West Virginia to help the crew of a buddy participate in a Formula V weekend race. For three days we had Grilled hot dogs, walked through the mud to the showers and crashed into his nasty RV, owner of many old owners. Our girlfriends ventured out of town for an evening to cheer her on. I remember very well seeing the other important man of my friend returning from the bathroom on Sunday morning with a black and white clip of Coco Chanel while she was navigating on a dirt road steep road leading to the motorhome – the black logo of the handbag, its pristine white leather and its chrome trim pleading practically open the mockery of the touch. She did not seem in the least concerned about such a possibility. she climbs the hill with as much confidence as any scum around the circuit.
The scene faded as I struggled with a brilliant-white, chrome-finish, Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV on a dusty, rugged trail in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with its brilliant Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament leading the way like a serious and unconscious golden retriever. Our car, of course, was the cover of Coco Chanel – an absurd presence moved in the middle of the land of Jackson Hole, ripe for ridicule. As I walked, one of the many Cullinians parading the trail, I met many hikers. Most of them waved cheerfully as we greeted them through the open windows, clearly amused at the sight of British luxury cars climbing a ski slope. A woman, however, did not have one. A side look was all the eye contact that she could muster in her contempt. As we passed, she let out a mocking and sneering phrase: "Go home …"
Our hiker friend – very much aware, like most people, of the obvious presence of Rolls-Royce in town – has probably seen us as intruders on her jewel-like terrain or dilettantes unworthy of the scenery of our ostentatious glitter trucks. . Or, there could be an even more direct reading of his reaction: There is no way that this eye-popping SUV is a legitimate off-roader, so do it. Whatever it is, I suddenly had the impression of driving a wedding cake all the way up the slope. I've tried to understand how I could possibly integrate, with this machine in this the context. Drive a little more …humbly?
Eric Adams
This type of reaction is not a new problem for Rolls-Royce – the company's vehicles are a global symbol of success and status, designed to project exactly that – but it was the first time I encountered such malice in a car. . In my opinion, the fact that the Cullinan does not look, it is frankly, ridiculously out of place, on a rough terrain that he can – very skillfully – manage, is not a high quality. But Rolls-Royce also admits that his great rider will not be often on ski slopes or on sandy beaches. After all, once the sand has entered a car, it does not come out.
Eric Adams
But it's the other side of the coin: it does not matter what people think immediately. First of all, the car is both a starting point for Rolls, from a functional and mechanical point of view, as the first all-wheel drive vehicle of the brand, and a whole new thing. Once the world gets used to it, it will not look ridiculous anymore. My biggest reminder to auto fans is the fact that we all laughed when Porsche unveiled its Cayenne SUV, which has become (and remains) its global cash cow. Rolls-Royce knows very well what it does: it gives customers what they want – an SUV – and makes it a true Rolls-Royce.
Rolls Royce
Secondly, what people do not really matter is because the car can really break the butt of the mountain. My boyfriend's friend at the circuit held out, like Cullinan.
Now that we have solved the problem, what does this 6,000-pound beast look like? As one could expect, it offers all the experience of the magic carpet which Rolls is proud of. From massive leather thrones to soft, incredibly thick carpets – you can not help but snap your shoes and push yourself, purring like a cat when you knead the hard-haired carpet – to even more delicate touches, like in front and back. rear doors that close at the touch of a button. This characteristic in particular is legitimately essential, because of the massive doors of suicide; They are terribly difficult to exploit, especially once you've sat down in the seat – but try to explain this to this hitchhiker from Jackson Hole if she surprises you in closing them in the parking lot.
Eric Adams
In typical Rolls-Royce fashion, the interior can also be customized to infinity depending on the buyer's preferences for color and materials. Even the factory options are bold and bold, with multi-tone leathers and plentiful chrome trim. Everything is very good, substantial and cocooning. Yet outward visibility is the priority, and where it is not, outside cameras come to the rescue.
On the road, the typical Rolls-Royce "magic carpet" ride goes through the reinforced air suspension needed to handle the excessive size and weight of the SUV. The road below floats like a distant whisper, barely noticeable inside the stuffed cabin. The Cullinan uses larger and larger struts than other Rollerblades to smooth the road and handle off-road shocks. A double-wishbone front axle and a soft five-arm rear axle, which is a significant feat for a large vehicle weighing three tons. The four-wheel steering makes it possible to tighten the turning radius and gives it the quality of "hovering" when changing lanes at road speeds.
Eric Adams
Off-road – where prying eyes will clearly judge this vehicle – the Cullinan uses an all-wheel drive system perfectly tuned to keep the car planted and stable, whether on sand, snow or rough terrain. (Fun Fact: It actively pushes the wheels down into the ground cavities to provide traction.) Off-road ability comes by pressing a single button, allowing the car to lift 40 millimeters and adjust the all-wheel drive according to the terrain. he meets. An elegant visual in the infotainment helps you to maintain situational awareness when navigating on rocky terrain or narrow trails. The V-12's impressive 627 lb-ft of torque arrives at only 1,600 rpm, solidly in diesel territory – and helps you get out of most sticky situations.
Rolls Royce
So, in spite of what our friend on the trail might or may not have thought of Cullinan, he has enough grunt to get his place on the trail – of course, on the boulevard, where they will probably spend most of their time. time. But things are still missing at Cullinan. Despite all its qualities, the big one does not seem to have any particular problem special about that. It does not bring magic beginnings, no unique notes of grace to him too. For example, the Starlight Headliner – fiber optic lights woven into the ceiling to look like stars and constellations – that debuted on the Wraith a few years ago was a breathtakingly good note. The silent roof mechanism of the Dawn Cabriolet was also a sublime shot of magic technology. The self-leveling wheel hub logos are simple but fun, that's the kind of thing that homeowners like to report to their friends.
The are interesting features, including the two-section hatchback called "the clasp" and additions like sliding tailgate seats at the rear. But the rest of Cullinan's "firsts" is already familiar: it's the first Rolls with folding rear seats in "Lounge Seat" configuration, the first with a rear wiper and the first with touchscreen infotainment. Not really bragging.
Eric Adams
In addition, there are unfortunately few real advances for the driver: no automatic centering of lanes, no driving on semi – autonomous highway, no navigation tools in augmented reality. There are perfectly adequate security features, including night vision, alert monitors, camera-based visibility tools, and help to avoid collisions and mitigate them. But assistance the tools – a separate category – are largely absent. Rolls-Royce seems to deliberately keep this type of advanced technology away from Cullinan, as well as from other cars. There is also not much in terms of depth of infotainment, beyond the interface (certainly nice) of the smartphone and integrated navigation technology. But there are no outstanding features, such as natural language communication or gestural commands from the parent company BMW.
The reasons for these apparent failures are three-fold: one, the semi-autonomous driving aids are not yet perfect, not up to standard Rolls-Royce for persistent and effortless use; secondly, it is assumed that many users still use drivers for their vehicles, as the Rolls-Royce tradition demands, so that buyers do not really care about that; and thirdly, that their customers did not request these features.
But the problem with all these arguments is that they are archaic. The latest three Rolls-Royce vehicles – the Wraith Coupe, the Dawn Convertible and the Cullinan – are not only deliberately designed as driver's vehicles, but are targeted at younger consumers. You know, the kind of extremely mobile entrepreneurs who adapt to the new technology. As for the argument of their customers not asking for these features – well, who originally asked for the Starlight Headliner, or the self-leveling wheel logos? To borrow an old consumer technology, the customer does not know what he wants before giving it to him.
Rolls Royce
This is of course how the Rolls-Royce respect their heritage. And at a time when semi-autonomous systems are deploying with valuable training of drivers on their use (and their limitations), I respect the instinct of society to hold back until it is fully cooked. On the other hand, times are changing, as are customers of Rolls-Royce. The simple existence Cullinan already recognizes it, so why not keep up, even a little bit? Lane centering is a useful and understandable feature. Roller buyers of all generations would probably dig that up.
But it's really between Rolls-Royce and its customers. If they do not want it, they will not get it and it's pretty obvious that they're going to want that vehicle en masse. Hikers and off-road trail enthusiasts can laugh at any point they see Cullinais on the beach or on the slopes. At the end of the day, it's an excellent machine that will likely become the most popular model in the company's lineup – and will remain so as long as it exists.
Eric Adams
Rolls-Royce Cullinan: Specifications
Powertrain: 6.8-liter twin-turbo V-12, 563 horsepower, 627 pounds of torque; eight-speed automatic; all-wheel drive
Unloaded weight: £ 6,069
Fuel economy: 11 cities, 22 highways (manufacturer's estimate)
0-60 MPH: 5.0 seconds (manufacturer's estimate)
Top speed: 155 mph (controlled)
Price: "If you have to ask," no? (I'm kidding, it starts at $ 325,000.)
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