Rolls-Royce's First Ever SUV Will Arrive Early Next Year
It’s no secret that Rolls-Royce has an SUV on the way, but according to a new report, the vehicle could be set to make its debut by the beginning of next year.
The vehicle, which is being referred to internally as ‘Project Cullinan’, will introduce an all-new aluminum architecture that will eventually find its way to the rest of the Rolls-Royce portfolio. It will be the automaker’s first-ever SUV, but you better not call it that. The British brand has been sure to avoid using that abbreviation when referring to the Cullinan, electing to instead call it an “all-terrain, high-sided vehicle.”
Under the hood of the Rolls-Royce Definitely Not an SUV could be the 454 horsepower 6.8-liter V12 that was found in the Phantom. It’s also possible that Rolls-Royce will employ its twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 in the application, seeing as it’s more powerful at 562 horsepower and also a newer, more refined offering. We imagine Rolls-Royce’s ZF eight-speed automatic transmission will be used and all-wheel drive will be standard.
SEE ALSO: Rolls-Royce is Not Interested in Hybrid Cars
A Cullinan prototype was recently spotted parked outside a crash test center in the UK, meaning the SUV is likely far along in its development cycle. Spy shots reveal a boxy, squarish design akin to the Phantom and a tall greenhouse section that looks as though it will provide plenty of headroom. Seeing as the Phantom sold for over $400,000, we’re expecting the even large Cullinan to carry a similarly steep sticker price.
Look for the production-ready Rolls-Royce SUV to arrive sometime in early 2018.
[Source: Autocar]
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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